Spinal 'flip-flop' effect in anorexia nervosa: A case report
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Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
Published on: May 8, 2018
Alessia Varotto1, Valerio Vitale1, Mariam Mansour1
1Neuroradiology Unit, San Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy.
Abstract:
Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric eating disorder related to malnutrition and consequent altered metabolism. A 48-year-old female with a history of anorexia in the last 2 years referred to our hospital with spinal pain. She underwent spinal X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing multiple vertebral collapses in dorsal and lumbar spine with inversion of normal bone marrow and soft tissue signal in T1-weighted and STIR images. We describe this case of spinal 'flip-flop' phenomenon, underlining how what seems a technical failure is actually a specific imaging pattern related to the clinical context.
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