Upright weight-bearing spine

The Medserena Signature Cervical spine examination and Signature Lumbar spine examination will always comprise seated sagittal images in neutral, flexion & extension together with coronal, either T2 or fat suppressed images, as well as axial images of the cervical or lumbar discs in the neutral position.

The value of imaging the spine in the upright position is that it not only shows the spine under the natural load of gravity, but also enables images to be made with the spine both flexed and extended.

The inclusion of flexion & extension ensures that any soft tissue abnormality causing pain is not overlooked, especially narrowing of the spinal canal by degeneration of the ligamentum flavum, fluctuating facet joint cysts or intervertebral discs that alter their degree of prolapse in either flexion or extension.

Scans in flexion & extension are the only method of showing the degree of spinal instability if it is present. This can avoid missing spinal instability that can occur for example, after some types of spinal fusion.

In addition you can find more informations about MRI exams related to back pain this on this website:
www.back-pain-mri.com