[Pathomechanisms of spinal canal stenosis - upright MRI image gallery].
OBJECTIVE
Lumbar spinal canal stenosis is a common disease of the elderly patient, with a high prevalence and clinical importance. MRI is the established method of choice for the imaging of spinal canal stenosis. However, there is often a discrepancy between the clinical symptoms and the spinal canal stenosis as shown using MRI in a supine position. In such cases preoperative functional imaging is often warranted.


METHODS
In an image gallery three cases of a functional spinal canal stenosis of the lumbar spine are shown. In all three patients a dynamic, positional MRI (upright MRI) was performed.


RESULTS
The pathomechanisms of the spinal canal stenosis could be shown in all three cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Using upright MRI a functional spinal canal stenosis can be shown. The pathomechanisms of the spinal canal stenosis are discussed. The possibilities and limitations of this new imaging modality are presented and analysed.
Radiologie, Privatpraxis für Upright MRT, Köln. p.niggemann@mrt-koeln.de
P
P
Niggemann
D
D
Grosskurth
H-K
HK
Beyer
D001100:Arachnoiditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007223:Infant; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D017843:Ligamentum Flavum / Q000473:pathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055013:Osteoarthritis, Spine / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D013581:Synovial Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology*