- Percutaneous Injection of Radiopaque Gelified Ethanol for the Treatment of Lumbar and Cervical Intervertebral Disk Herniations: Experience and Clinical Outcome in 80 Patients
Eighty lumbar and 9 cervical spine herniations were treated with percutaneous intradiskal injection of gelified ethanol under fluoroscopy with 36 injections made simultaneously for 2 disk herniations. Post treatment symptom improvement was reported by 85% of patients with lumbarand 83% of those with cervical disk herniations.
- Double Inversion Recovery Sequence of the Cervical Spinal Cord in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Inflammatory Diseases
Double inversion recovery was used to study 30 patients with suspected or established MS and images were blindly evaluated by 2 neuroradiologists. DIR detected 28% more lesions than T2-weighted images with higher contrast-to-noise ratios leading to increased rating in lesion visibility. The authors concluded that the DIR sequence allowed better detection of lesions in MS and related inflammatory diseases of the cervical spinal cord compared with conventional T2WI.
- Safety and Effectiveness of Sacroplasty: A Large Single-Center Experience
The safety and effectiveness of minimally invasive sacroplasty was assessed in 53 patients treated for cancer-related, osteoporotic insufficiency and traumatic fractures. The procedure was judged to be safe and resulted in significant short-term gains in pain relief, increased mobility, and decreased dependence on pain medication.
- Cement Salvage of Instrumentation-Associated Vertebral Fractures
The authors describe the treatment of 22 vertebral compression fractures in 11 patients with metastases and prior spinal instrumentation. Pain improved in all patients, only 1 patient needed additional surgery, and there were no vertebral cement augmentation–related complications.
- MR Myelography for Identification of Spinal CSF Leak in Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension
Twenty-four patients with intracranial hypotension received CT myelography as well asintrathecal gadolinium MR myelography. Comparisons demonstrated a higher rate of leak detection with intrathecal gadolinium MR myelography. Although intrathecal gadolinium is an FDA off-label use, all patients tolerated the medication without evidence of complications.