BACKGROUND: In cervical @entity602 , significant findings are seen in flexion-extension MRI due to the increased likelihood of @entity1745 during neck extension. In addition, a high intramedullary signal on T2-weighted MR images has been reported to be a prognostic factor in this condition. However, the relationship between Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores and the signal intensity in preoperative cervical flexion-extension T2-weighted images has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether preoperative flexion-extension MRI may be used to predict surgical outcomes in @entity1 with cervical @entity602 . METHODS: A total of 121 @entity1 who underwent surgery for cervical @entity602 were included. All @entity1 underwent preoperative cervical flexion-extension MRI followed by cervical decompression surgery, with or without spinal fusion, and postoperative follow-up for at least 2 years. Pre- and postoperative (2 years after surgery) JOA scores were recorded, and the degree of postoperative improvement was calculated. The relationship between intramedullary signal intensity on preoperative cervical dynamic MRI findings and degree of clinical recovery was examined. RESULTS: @entity1 with a high intramedullary signal on the extension MRI had significantly better neurological recovery than those with a high signal on the flexion MRI (p < 0.000005). There was no significant difference in neurological recovery between @entity1 with and without a high intramedullary signal on extension MRI. CONCLUSIONS: A preoperative high intramedullary signal on flexion MRI was associated with a poor surgical outcome, while no such association was seen with extension MRI.

Clinical significance of high intramedullary signal on T2-weighted cervical flexion-extension magnetic resonance imaging in cervical XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'Patients'] @entity602 :: ('MESH:D013118', 'Disease') :: ['myelopathy'] @entity1745 :: ('MESH:D013117', 'Disease') :: ['cord compression']
@entity602 :: (MESH:D013118,Disease) :: ['myelopathy']
