The postoperative spine. Magnetic resonance imaging

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Neurosurgery
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Persistent or recurrent symptoms after spinal surgery are common.
• Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) presents diagnostic challenges.
• Conventional imaging may be inconclusive in evaluating postoperative spinal conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the utility of MRI in diagnosing causes of FBSS.
• To compare MRI's diagnostic accuracy with other imaging modalities.
• To underscore MRI's role in managing complex postoperative spinal cases.

Main Methods:

• Review of MRI findings in patients with post-spinal surgery symptoms.
• Comparison of MRI with CT and conventional radiography.
• Assessment of MRI's ability to detect specific postoperative complications.

Main Results:

• MRI accurately differentiates recurrent disc herniation from scar tissue.
• MRI identifies functional instability when other methods fail.
• MRI detects various FBSS causes like stenosis, arachnoiditis, and hematoma.

Conclusions:

• MRI is the imaging modality of choice for postoperative spinal assessment.
• MRI offers superior confidence in diagnosing FBSS causes.
• MRI is crucial for evaluating patients with multiple lumbar surgeries and complex symptoms.