Cervical Spine MRI

MRI of the cervical spine covering the neck vertebrae, discs, spinal cord, and nerve roots. Assesses disc herniations, foraminal stenosis, cord compression, and degenerative changes causing neck pain or upper extremity symptoms.

Cervical spine MRI at PrivatMRT Berlin images the seven cervical vertebrae (C1-C7), their intervertebral discs, the cervical spinal cord, the exiting nerve roots, and the surrounding ligaments and soft tissues. The examination is conducted on the practice's Siemens 1.5T scanner, which provides the resolution necessary to evaluate the relatively small cervical spinal canal and neural foramina where nerve roots exit. Disc herniation in the cervical spine can cause radiculopathy -- pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness radiating into the shoulder, arm, or hand along the distribution of the compressed nerve root. The C5-C6 and C6-C7 levels are most commonly affected. Central disc herniations may compress the spinal cord itself, producing myelopathy with more diffuse symptoms including gait disturbance, hand clumsiness, and balance difficulties. The spinal cord signal on T2-weighted images is carefully assessed for myelopathic changes. Degenerative spondylosis with osteophyte formation, uncovertebral joint hypertrophy, facet arthropathy, and ligamentum flavum thickening can all contribute to foraminal or central canal stenosis. These changes are extremely common in the adult population and increase with age, but their clinical significance depends on whether they cause neural compression. Berlin professionals who spend extended hours at computers and mobile devices are particularly prone to cervical spine complaints. The scan takes approximately 30 minutes. The patient lies supine with the neck positioned in a dedicated head-and-neck coil. No contrast agent is used in the standard protocol. The radiologist report describes each cervical level systematically, noting disc morphology, canal dimensions, and any neural compression.