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Imaging features of postoperative complications after spinal surgery and instrumentation

Daichi Hayashi1, Frank W Roemer, Asim Mian

  • 1Department of Radiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 820 Harrison Ave, FGH Bldg 3rd Fl, Boston, MA 02118, USA. dhayashi@bu.edu

AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology
|June 27, 2012
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

This article details common spinal surgery complications and their imaging findings. Radiography, MDCT, and MRI are key for assessing postoperative implants and diagnosing issues like infection.

Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

  • Spinal surgery, including stabilization, fusion, and disk replacement, is increasingly common.
  • Postoperative complications can significantly impact patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To illustrate common postoperative complications after spinal surgery.
  • To describe the characteristic imaging appearances of these complications.
  • To highlight the roles of various imaging modalities in postoperative assessment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of imaging findings in patients who underwent spinal surgery.
  • Correlation of imaging findings with surgical techniques and devices.
  • Discussion of the utility of radiography, MDCT, and MRI.

Main Results:

  • Common complications include hardware failure, pseudoarthrosis, infection, and disk issues.
  • Each complication has distinct appearances on radiography, MDCT, and MRI.
  • MDCT is optimal for implant assessment; MRI is crucial for infection and soft-tissue lesions.

Conclusions:

  • Radiography is standard for routine follow-up.
  • MDCT provides optimized assessment of postoperative implants.
  • MRI is essential for diagnosing complications like infection and soft-tissue lesions.

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