IMAGING MODALITIES OF THE INJURED AND POS TOPERATIVE SPINE

In trauma patients X-ray and CT are the important imaging modalities f or detecting instability of the spine and determining the cause of a s pinal cord lesion. MRI should be done to demonstrate the spinal cord l esion itself. Operations on spinal injuries are based on X-ray films a nd CT. Polydirectional tomography is valuable in the assessment of bon e healing, determining osteomyelitis with fistulae, pseudarthrosis and imaging of bone graft fusion in the presence of metallic fixation dev ices. MRI is indicated for diagnosis and ascertaing the prognosis of s pinal cord lesions. In the long-term follow-up syrinx, myelomalacia an d atrophy can be differentiated. MRI can also be done for osteomyeliti s and complications of bone graft fusion.