Nuclear medicine imaging of spine injuries

Abstract

Modern sports activities are associated with a high incidence of spine pain. Generally, the injuries seen are classified to their time of onset or specific injuries related to the vulnerable skeletal locations. Spinal fracture is fortunately very rare for incidences that are associated in contact sports activities. Prevention of spinal injuries and early diagnosis are the first priorities since delayed diagnosis may cause structural instability and early osteoarthritis or abnormal bony maturity. When plain radiographs of a patient with persistent symptoms reveal negative findings, a bone scan with single-photon emission computed tomography, computerised tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging scan can be performed. Nuclear medicine imaging techniques, encompassing the visualisation and characterisation of biological processes at the molecular and cellular level, are useful techniques in localising the site of spinal injuries which are inconspicuous on the structural conventional imaging techniques.