DISC DEGENERATION AND CERVICAL INSTABILITY - CORRELATION OF MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING WITH RADIOGRAPHY

Study Design. An imaging study was designed to evaluate disc degenerat ion and segmental instability in the cervical spine. Objectives. To co mpare the magnetic resonance imaging assessment of disc degeneration w ith the conventional plain radiographic evaluation of cervical segment al instability. Summary of Background Data. No studies have been condu cted to investigate the association of disc degeneration with cervical instability. Methods. Two hundred sixty consecutive patients with sus pected cervical spine disorders were analyzed for horizontal and angul ar displacements on lateral flexion and extension radiographs and disc degeneration on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images of the cervical vertebrae. Results. In all intervertebral levels, the grade of disc d egeneration increased significantly (P < 0.01) with age. Cervical inst ability was identified in 151 segments (14.5%) and correlated with Gra de 1 and Grade 2 degeneration in the intervertebral discs (P < 0.01). Conclusions. Cervical segmental instability may indicate early degener ation of intervertebral disc in the cervical vertebrae.