Articles
Articles are a collaborative effort to provide a single canonical page on all topics relevant to the practice of radiology. As such, articles are written and continuously improved upon by countless contributing members. Our dedicated editors oversee each edit for accuracy and style. Find out more about articles.
742 results found
Article
Facet joint injection
Facet (zygapophyseal) joint injections are performed primarily for the diagnosis and differentiation of facet syndrome and radicular pain syndrome, and are one of the spinal interventional procedures. They can be performed under fluoroscopic, or CT image guidance, and cervical, thoracic or most ...
Article
Diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor
Diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor (previously known as disseminated oligodendroglial-like leptomeningeal tumor of childhood) is a rare tumor of the central nervous system. It typically presents with hydrocephalus secondary to prominent leptomeningeal enhancement, often without a readily ...
Article
Anterior vertebral body tether (AVBT)
Anterior vertebral body tethering (AVBT) is a fusionless technique for treating and managing idiopathic scoliosis in skeletally immature patients to reduce the typical side effects of rigid posterior fusion (such as loss of spinal motion and risks adjacent segment degeneration later in life) 1,3...
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Autonomic nervous system
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system. The autonomic system provides innervation of the involuntary muscles, i.e. myocardium and smooth muscle, and glands, through which fine control of homeostasis is maintained.
The afferent innervation of the aut...
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Parasympathetic nervous system
The parasympathetic nervous system (PaNS/PNS), mediated by the head and neck ganglia and pelvic splanchnic nerves, is a major division of the autonomic nervous system. It is composed of general visceral afferent and efferent axons that allow for involuntary control of bodily functions via severa...
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Sympathetic nervous system
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS), mediated by the sympathetic chain (trunk) and ganglia, is a major division of the autonomic nervous system. It is composed of general visceral afferent and efferent axons that allow for involuntary control of bodily functions via the hypothalamus.
The over...
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Spinal epidural venous plexus congestion
Spinal epidural venous plexus congestion or dilatation is typically a complication of other pathologies.
Clinical presentation
Radiculopathy caused by the dilated epidural veins is not uncommon 1. More severe symptoms such as cauda equina compression syndrome have been reported 6, 7.
Patholo...
Article
Spondyloptosis
Spondyloptosis is a term to denote grade V spondylolisthesis - a vertebra having slipped so far with respect to the vertebra below that the two endplates are no longer congruent. It is usually anterolisthesis of L5 on S1 but can be seen elsewhere rarely 1,2.
Article
Inverted Napoleon hat sign
The inverted Napoleon hat sign is a radiologic sign seen on the frontal pelvic or lumbar radiograph at the level of the 5th lumbar vertebra and the sacrum.
It is seen when there is bilateral spondylolysis with marked anterolisthesis of L5 on S1 or marked exaggeration of the normal lordosis at t...
Article
Butterfly vertebra
Butterfly vertebra, also sometimes known as a sagittal cleft vertebra or anterior rachischisis, is a type of vertebral anomaly that results from the failure of fusion of the lateral halves of the vertebral body because of persistent notochordal tissue between them.
Pathology
Butterfly vertebra...
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Occipital vertebra
Occipital vertebrae are rare anatomical variants that result from incomplete or aberrant fusion of occipital bone ossification centers. There is a broad spectrum of occipital vertebrae, the more common variants include:
third condyle (condylus tertius)
basilar process
prebasioccipital arch
p...
Article
Angiolipoma
Angiolipomas are rare soft tissue tumors composed of mature adipocytes and vessels. They most commonly arise in the subcutaneous tissues of the extremities.
Please refer to the epidural (spinal) angiolipoma article for a specific discussion. The remainder of this article describes the general f...
Article
Fluoroscopic myelography
Fluoroscopic myelography is a technique that allows the visualization of the theca by the introduction of contrast medium into the CSF. This is usually accomplished by a lumbar puncture, or less commonly a suboccipital puncture.
The patient can then be tilted and rotated to cause the contrast, ...
Article
Craniovertebral junction anomalies
Craniovertebral junction (CVJ) anomalies can be congenital, developmental or due to malformation secondary to an acquired disease process. These anomalies can lead to cranial nerve compression, vertebral artery compression, and obstructive hydrocephalus.
Pathology
The craniovertebral junction ...
Article
Diastematomyelia
Diastematomyelia, also known as a split cord malformation, refers to a type of spinal dysraphism (spina bifida occulta) characterized by a longitudinal split in the spinal cord.
Terminology
Although traditionally, it has been distinguished from diplomyelia (in which the cord is duplicated rat...
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Basilar process
The basilar process, also known as the mammillar or papillar process, is a rare anatomical variant of the occipital bone that is part of the spectrum of occipital vertebrae 1.
Epidemiology
The basilar process is a rare variant, with a reported prevalence of 4% 2.
Clinical presentation
A basi...
Article
Scoliosis
Scoliosis (plural: scolioses) is defined as an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. It is quite common in young individuals and is often idiopathic and asymptomatic. In some cases, however, it is the result of underlying structural or neurological abnormalities.
Terminology
Early onset sco...
Article
Conus medullaris syndrome
Conus medullaris syndrome is caused by an injury or insult to the conus medullaris and lumbar nerve roots. It is a clinical subset of spinal cord injury syndromes. Injuries at the level of T12 to L2 vertebrae are most likely to result in conus medullaris syndrome.
Clinical presentation
Patient...
Article
Conus medullaris
The conus medullaris is the tapered inferior-most part of the spinal cord to which is attached the filum terminale.
Gross anatomy
The conus medullaris is conical in shape, tapering from the distal spinal cord to a narrow point from which a delicate strand of fibrous tissue called the filum ter...
Article
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is the part of the central nervous system found within the vertebral column's spinal canal. The cord extends from the corticomedullary junction at the foramen magnum of the skull down to the tip of the conus medullaris within the lumbar cistern. It is lined by the spinal pia mate...