Unless the radiologists are asked to describe the vertebral arteries in MRI studies, many will not describe aberrant vertebral arteries in the report, according to a study published in Spine.
Six neuroradiologists were asked to interpret 79 cervical spine MRIs, 39 of which had aberrant vertebral arteries. The initial indications for the study only included a description of the patient's symptoms. The radiologists were then given the same MRIs with different indications, including the patient's symptoms, a request for annotations on the vertebral artery and a definition of the vertebral artery anomaly.
When the indications of the study only included a description of the patient's symptoms, the vertebral artery was never described by the radiologists. When the indications included the specific request and definition, all radiologists commented on them. Three of the radiologists were 100 percent accurate in identifying the aberrant vertebral arteries, while the others identified 38 of the 39 aberrant vertebral arteries correctly.
Read the abstract for "Identification of Type 1: Interforaminal Vertebral Artery Anomalies in Cervical Spine MRIs."
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Six neuroradiologists were asked to interpret 79 cervical spine MRIs, 39 of which had aberrant vertebral arteries. The initial indications for the study only included a description of the patient's symptoms. The radiologists were then given the same MRIs with different indications, including the patient's symptoms, a request for annotations on the vertebral artery and a definition of the vertebral artery anomaly.
When the indications of the study only included a description of the patient's symptoms, the vertebral artery was never described by the radiologists. When the indications included the specific request and definition, all radiologists commented on them. Three of the radiologists were 100 percent accurate in identifying the aberrant vertebral arteries, while the others identified 38 of the 39 aberrant vertebral arteries correctly.
Read the abstract for "Identification of Type 1: Interforaminal Vertebral Artery Anomalies in Cervical Spine MRIs."
Read other coverage on spine surgery studies:
- Spine Surgery Comparison: Open TLIF Versus Minimal Access TLIF
- Study Shows Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Could Safely Treat Degenerative Disc Disease
- Study: Lumbar Interspinous Spacers Beneficial for Select Patients