Diagnostic value of MRI in hirayama disease

LIU Xiaomei; SUN Yingjie; ZHOU Shan; YANG Yongzheng; QI Yang

Abstract：Objective To analyze the MRI findings of cervical spine in patients with birayama disease,and to explore the di-agnostic value of MRI in birayama disease. Methods 14 patients diagnosed as hirayama disease were all performed MRI in flex-ion position,and 11 patients were performed in neutral posion by MRI examinations. The MRI images of patients in different po-sions were analyzed. Results In the neutral position of 11 patients, MRI showed 7 cases with abnormal curvature of cervical spine,in which 6 cases were atrophy and thinning of spinal cord. The loss of attachment was only 4 cases. 14 cases of cervical flexion examinations showed the presences of the posterior wall of the dural sac,the compression of the spinal cord,the expansion of the posterior epidural space and the loss of attachment. Moreover,there were 5 cases with T2high signal in the spinal cord,and the location of abnormal signal in spinal cord was slightly higher than the most prominent position of compression in the spinal cord. Conclusion MRI characteristic of neck flexion has significant value in the diagnosis of hirayama disease.