Spinal 'flip-flop' effect in anorexia nervosa: A case report.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical imaging
• Bone disorders

Background:

• Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric eating disorder associated with malnutrition and metabolic changes.
• Patients with anorexia nervosa may present with various physical complications.
• Spinal complications are a recognized, though less common, manifestation.

Observation:

• A 48-year-old female with a history of anorexia nervosa presented with spinal pain.
• Imaging revealed multiple vertebral collapses in the dorsal and lumbar spine.
• Specific signal inversions were noted in T1-weighted and STIR MRI sequences.

Findings:

• The observed imaging pattern, termed the spinal 'flip-flop' phenomenon, is characterized by altered bone marrow and soft tissue signals.
• This phenomenon is directly related to the patient's clinical context of anorexia nervosa.
• The changes mimic technical artifacts but represent a specific radiological finding.

Implications:

• The spinal 'flip-flop' phenomenon is a distinctive imaging pattern in anorexia nervosa.
• Recognition of this pattern is crucial for accurate diagnosis and avoiding misinterpretation as technical errors.
• This highlights the importance of integrating clinical history with radiological findings in eating disorder patients.