Magnetic resonance imaging of the pediatric spinal cord and canal

Of 105 pediatric patients studied on a 1.5 tesla MR unit for clinical suspicion of spinal disease 69.5 per cent of studies were positive. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was successfully performed on all patients, from newborn up. MRI replaced invasive studies such as myelography and intrathecally enhanced computed tomography (CT) in all disease categories except for subarachnoid drop metastasis, spinal arteriovenous malformation and arachnoiditis. Conventional CT and radiography of the spine were complementary in disease processes where bony detail was important.