MR imaging of spinal cord vascular malformations with an emphasis on the cervical spine

Spinal vascular malformations (AVMs) are rare but important causes of treatable myelopathies. Recent advances in interventional neuroradiolgy and neurosurgical techniques have improved the delineation and classifcation of these heterogeneous lesions. Because MR imaging usually is the first screening test for patients with myelopathy, the neuroradiologist must have a high level of knowledge of the common imaging characteristics of these lesions. This article reviews MR angiographic literature about spinal AVMs, reviews Type I-IV AVMs and cervical Type I AVMs, and describes their pathophysiology and common imaging characteristics, and elaborates on differences in cervical location from more typical positions.