FAST SPIN-ECHO MR ASSESSMENT OF PATIENTS WITH POOR OUTCOME FOLLOWING SPINAL CERVICAL SURGERY

Purpose: The aim of the investigation was to evaluate-poor outcome fol lowing spinal cervical surgery. Material and Methods. A total of 146 c onsecutive patients operated with anterior discectomy and fusion (ADF) with the Cloward technique were investigated. Clinical notes, plain r adiography, CT. and fast spin-echo (FSE) images were retrospectively e valuated. Results: Some 30% of the patients had unsatisfactory clinica l results within 12 months after surgery, 13% had initial improvement followed by deterioration of the preoperative symptoms, while 14.4% we re not improved or worsened. Disc herniation and bony stenosis above, below, or at the fused level were the most common findings. In 45% of patients, surgery failed to decompress the spinal canal. In only 4 pat ients was no cause of remaining myelopathy and/or radiculopathy found. FSE demonstrated a large variety of pathological findings in the pati ents with poor clinical out come after ADF. Postoperatively, patients with good clinical outcome had a lower incidence of pathological chang es. Conclusion: FSE is considered the primary imaging modality for the cervical spine. However, CT is a useful complement in the axial proje ction to visualize bone changes.