Need help reading spine imaging? I’ve got your back!
It’s as easy as ABC!
This post is about an easy mnemonic you can use on every single spine study you see to increase your speed & make sure you never miss a thing!
Just remember ABCD:
A = Alignment
(1) look for unstable injuries
(2) look for malalignment that causes early degenerative change
B = Bones
On CT, look for fractures
On MRI, look for marrow lesions/edema
C = Cord/Canal
On CT, look at the canal contents for large masses or collections
On MRI, look for canal narrowing & cord edema
D= Discs/Degenerative
--Normal discs should look like a kidney on it’s side on axial images, w/tiny hilum/. Loss of this hilum means there a bulge
--On sagittal images, normal discs should look like jelly donuts. If they look like pancakes instead of jelly donuts, they are degenerated
Disc nomenclature:
Bulge = gaining weight & loosening belt (annulus gets loose)
Protrusion = hernia (annulus tears & disc protrudes through)
Extrusion = disc becomes like toothpaste & squeezes around everywhere
Free Fragment = like toothpaste on the toothbrush—completely separate from the disc
Now you know how to approach spine imaging studies in a systematic way! Hopefully, now reading spine imaging won’t be such back breaking work!