None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a common cause of age-related spinal cord injury in adults, often leading to loss of hand function, walking difficulty, and long-term disability if not diagnosed early. Diagnosis is usually made using a neck MRI, but a novel approach to screening more broadly with a “whole spine” scan may be able to identify the condition earlier just as effectively taking significantly less time and as a significantly less cost. This study will test how accurate and reliable these whole spine MRI sequences are for detecting DCM. By comparing them with standard neck MRI scans, the study aims to find out if this existing scan can be used to identify DCM sooner, allowing earlier treatment and reducing preventable disability.
Interventions
Participants will be exposed to standard clinical assessment and routine MRI imaging, as part of usual evaluation for neck-related symptoms at the secondary care spine centre. The order of this is as follows:
1) All patients already undergo a pre-consultation MRI that includes a dedicated cervical spine MRI (reference standard) and an accompanying T2-weighted whole spine sagittal MRI (WSSMRI) sequence (index test). These sequences are not altered for research purposes and no additional imaging,
Participants will be exposed to standard clinical assessment and routine MRI imaging, as part of usual evaluation for neck-related symptoms at the secondary care spine centre. The order of this is as follows: 1) All patients already undergo a pre-consultation MRI that includes a dedicated cervical spine MRI (reference standard) and an accompanying T2-weighted whole spine sagittal MRI (WSSMRI) sequence (index test). These sequences are not altered for research purposes and no additional imaging, procedures, or treatment are introduced. The appointment time for is approximately 30 minutes. 2) The standard clinical assessments are performed face-to-face by spine specialist clinicians. This includes taking a patient history including questions regarding the patients past medical/surgical history, presenting complaint and specific signs and symptoms of myelopathy. Following this, a structured physical exam is performed to assess for spinal range of motion, pain provocation tests to assess the location of pain and a bedside neurological examination of lower motor neuron and upper motor neuron signs. The final stage of the clinical consultation is review of the MRI scans to provide the patient a diagnosis and follow up with a treatment plan using a shared decision-making model. The appointment time for is approximately 40 minutes. Clinical assessments will be performed face-to-face by spine specialists and documented on a standardised form. Participants attend only their usual clinical appointment and a single MRI appointment; no follow-up imaging or intervention is required. Observation is limited to data obtained at this consultation and imaging examination.
Sponsors
Auckland University of Technology
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion: • Adults aged greater than or equal to 18 years • Referred to a specialist clinician at the Auckland Spine Surgery Centre for neck-related complaints • Undergone cervical spine MRI with accompanying WSSMRI sequence within 6-months of consultation • Provides informed consent for collection and analysis of consultation and imaging data
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion: • Condition where MRI is contraindicated • Previous cervical spine surgery • Non-degenerative causes of spinal cord compression • Symptoms likely to be attributed to a known neurological condition
Outcome results
None listed