Preliminary Diagnosis: Dorsal Column Disease
I. What imaging technique is first-line for this diagnosis?
Magnetic resonance contrasted intradural protocol of the cervical, thoracic, and/or lumbar spine.
II. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this technique for diagnosing dorsal column disease.
Advantages
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Specific and sensitive in detailing signal abnormality within the spinal cord and able to detail the gray/white matter and dorsal/anterior/ and lateral columns with exquisite detail.
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Offers excellent visualization of the intardural and extradural and associated structures.
Disadvantages
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Expensive.
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Time consuming.
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Requires significant patient cooperation to minimize motion artifact.
III. What are the contraindications for the first-line imaging technique?
Contraindicated in patients with non-MR compatible hardware.
IV. What alternative imaging techniques are available?
No specific alternative imaging techniques exist.
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