Cutting-edge imaging of the spine

Damage to the spinal cord may be caused by a wide range of pathologies and generally results in profound functional disability. A reliable diagnostic workup of the spine is very important because even relatively small lesions in this part of the central nervous system can have a profound clinical impact. MR imaging has become the method of choice for the detection and diagnosis of many spine disorders. Various innovative MR imaging methods have been developed to improve neuroimaging, including better pulse sequences and new MR contrast parameters. These new "cutting-edge" technologies have the potential to impact profoundly the ease and confidence of spinal disease interpretation and offer a more efficient diagnostic workup of patients suffering from spinal disease.