Textbook of Diagnostic Imaging of the Spine: llustrated Clinical Guide to Spinal MRI, CT, Trauma, Tumors, Degenerative Disease, Infection, and Interventional Imaging

Textbook of Diagnostic Imaging of the Spine is a comprehensive illustrated clinical reference.Covering eight thematic sections, it addresses the complete spectrum of spinal pathology encountered in clinical radiology, from foundational physics and normal anatomy through degenerative disease, trauma, infection, neoplasms, vascular disorders, and interventional imaging.The book is structured to serve two parallel needs: deep, systematic study of a clinical domain, and fast, reliable access to protocols, differential diagnoses, and reporting guidance during active casework. Each chapter follows a consistent architecture that moves from anatomical and pathophysiological context through modality-specific imaging findings to differential diagnosis, reporting pearls, and clinical integration. This structure makes the book equally useful as a fellowship study text and as a daily reporting companion. Annotated clinical images drawn from real practice illustrate key findings across MRI, CT, plain radiography, and nuclear medicine. Image captions are written to teach, not merely label, describing what to look for and why a finding matters clinically.The eight sections cover:Section I: Foundations of Spine Imaging. Imaging physics, modality selection, MRI sequences, CT protocols, myelography, advanced techniques including diffusion tensor imaging and quantitative MRI, and the radiologist's reporting responsibilities.Section II: Congenital, Developmental, and Genetic Disorders. Neural tube defects, spinal dysraphism, tethered cord, Chiari malformations, segmentation anomalies, skeletal dysplasias, and chromosomal syndromes with spinal manifestations.Section III: Degenerative Disease, Arthritis, and Alignment Disorders. Disc degeneration, herniation and classification systems, facet arthropathy, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, kyphosis, and inflammatory arthritis including ankylosing spondylitis.Section IV: Trauma. Cervical, thoracolumbar, and sacral fracture classification, spinal cord injury imaging, SCIWORA, ligamentous instability, and posttraumatic cord changes.Section V: Infection, Inflammation, and Autoimmune Disorders. Vertebral osteomyelitis, discitis, epidural abscess, tuberculous spondylitis, fungal and parasitic infections, transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, and autoimmune myelopathies.Section VI: Neoplasms, Cysts, and Tumor Mimics. Primary bone tumors, metastatic disease, intradural extramedullary tumors, intramedullary tumors, epidural neoplasms, spinal cord cysts, and entities that mimic neoplasm on imaging. Section VII: Vascular Disorders, CSF Pathology, and Systemic Disease. Spinal cord infarction, vascular malformations, dural arteriovenous fistulas, intracranial hypotension, CSF leaks, arachnoiditis, and systemic diseases with spinal manifestations.Section VIII: Peripheral Nerve, Postoperative Imaging, and Advanced Topics. Nerve root and brachial plexus imaging, postoperative hardware assessment, fusion and instrumentation complications, diffusion tensor imaging in clinical practice, and AI applications in spine radiology.This book is written for radiology residents preparing for subspecialty training or board examinations, practicing radiologists seeking a structured reference for spinal reporting, neuroradiology fellows, spine surgeons requiring a radiologist's perspective on imaging interpretation, and clinicians who work regularly with spinal imaging across neurology, orthopedic surgery, and physiatry. Where established classification systems exist, including Pfirrmann grading, TLICS scoring, Modic changes, the Bilsky epidural compression scale, and AO fracture classification, they are presented with full imaging correlates and reporting language. Read more