MRI Lumbar Spine Severe degeneration

[@michaelsawang9431]

As a medical student from Australia where MR imaging is covered in our curriculum in much less depth than XR/CT, your videos are an excellent resource. Gladly appreciate your work!

[@billybobscat6233]

Wow, now that's a painful one.. Jeez!

[@thewibb]

i'm addicted to your videos! It makes we want to learn more!

[@earllandrito9612]

Appreciate your videos. Could you do a video on cord compression?

[@dampandrew]

What is your opinion about forming a differential diagnosis using supine lumbar MRI vs flexion/extension Xrays? Do you always need to review the neurological findings before ascertaining central stenosis?

[@rdavidm1]

Good questions! In general, MRI is superior to X-rays. MRI shows excellent detail of virtually all anatomic structures. However, the study that will show instability best (subluxation) flexion/extension. As far as ascertaining central canal stenosis, there are spinal canals that are only mildly narrowed that are unlikely creating clinical stenosis, and there are canals that are severely narrowed which could clearly be producing clinical stenosis. Between these extremes, there are degrees of canal narrowing that cannot be characterized with certainty, and these cases will require clinical correlation as to whether the patient has clinical findings typical of stenosis.