Computed tomography in the diagnosis of spinal disease

During the period from October 1977 through February 1979, 41 cases of spinal diseases were studied by either EMI Whole Body Scanner, CT 5005 or EMI Head Scanner, CT 1010. Slices were 10 mm or 13 mm thick. Fifteen cases of disc diseases, 10 cases of ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament, 5 cases of congenital anomalies, 6 cases of spinal cord tumors, 3 cases of trauma, 3 cases of narrow cervical spinal canal, 1 case of calcification of ligamentum flavum and 1 case of spinal arteriovenous malformation were studied. Results obtained are as follows: 1) A precise determination of vertebral level scanned by CT is important. 2) Plain spinal CT is of diagnostic value in detecting bony lesions and lipoma. Meningioma showed positive images in the enhanced spinal CT. 3) The spinal cord cannot be distinguished from the surrounding CSF except for that at C1 level. 4) CT metrizamide myelography can appraise adjacent structures that may impinge on the spinal subarachnoid space, as well as structures contained in the space. (author)