MRI after Cervical Spine Decompression and Fusion Surgery: Technical Considerations, Expected Findings, and...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Neurosurgery
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Cervical spine MRI is vital for assessing complications and degenerative changes post-surgery.
• Interpretation requires considering surgical approach, time since surgery, and patient's clinical status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review MRI acquisition and interpretation for postoperative cervical spine.
• To discuss challenges and strategies for imaging metallic implants and motion artifacts.

Main Methods:

• Review of common anterior and posterior cervical decompression and fusion approaches.
• Discussion of MRI acquisition protocols, including spatial resolution and artifact mitigation.
• Consideration of radiofrequency coil selection and artifact suppression techniques.

Main Results:

• Differentiating expected postoperative changes from complications is key.
• Higher spatial resolution is needed due to smaller cervical anatomy.
• Motion artifacts from physiological processes and metallic implants pose challenges.

Conclusions:

• Optimized MRI protocols are essential for accurate diagnosis in the postoperative cervical spine.
• Effective interpretation relies on understanding surgical context and potential artifacts.
• This review provides algorithms for MRI acquisition and interpretation in this specialized area.