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ROBERTO CARTOLARI. The Axial Loaded Imaging of the Lumbar Spine 18 Years After. Is It Still a Valuable Examination?. U.O.D. DI Neuroradiologia Ospedale “Belcolle” Viterbo – Italy Servizio di Radiologia Ospedale “S. Giovanni” – EOC Bellinzona - Switzerland. AL-CT.
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ROBERTO CARTOLARI The Axial Loaded Imaging of the Lumbar Spine 18 Years After. Is It Still a Valuable Examination? U.O.D. DI Neuroradiologia Ospedale “Belcolle” Viterbo – Italy Servizio di Radiologia Ospedale “S. Giovanni” – EOC Bellinzona - Switzerland
AL-CT In 1992 the idea of Axial Loading
AL-CT Newton’s third law of Conservation of the Momentum
AL-CT Newton’s third law of Conservation of the Momentum
NON-PATHOLOGIC MOTION PATTERN REFERENCE MODEL OF THE SPINE UNDER A PURE AXIAL LOAD
The AxialLoaderis a non-ferromagnetic/x-Raytransparentdevice
The Axial Loader is a non-ferromagnetic/x-Ray transparent device
AL-CT TECHNIQUE • Basal/AL Volumetric acquisition (L2-L3/S1) • MPR (Sagittal plane) • 3D SSD • Basal/AL images cine-loop
AL-MRI TECHNIQUE • Basal acquisition (Sag T1w, Sag T2w, Ax T2w) • AL Volumetric acquisition (Sag T1w, Sag T2w, Ax T2w) • Basal/AL images cine-loop
Axial Images Sagittal Images 3D Images
AL-CT/MRI REMEMBER !!! • only axial loading (the simplest work) • no motion is superimposed • the Patient is SUPINE (it’ s not true orthostatism)
AL-CT/MRI REMEMBER !!! • all the findings are REAL (no distortion artifacts)
AL-CT/MRI FINDINGS CLINICAL SIGN !!! > 90% Patients referred partial to total recurrence of their symptoms during axial loading
AL-CT/MRI: WHEN? THE CLINICAL PICTURE DOESN’ T MATCH THE BASIC IMAGING (X-RAY, CT, MRI)
AL-CT/MRI FINDINGS Elementary Dynamic Modifications Intervertebral Disc Modifications Alterations of Intersomatic Relationships Alteration in Relationships of Articular Processes Narrowing of Spinal Neural Foramina Thickening of Ligamenta Flava Narrowing of Interspinous Spaces and Hypermobility of the Spinous Processes
THE “DISC VACUUM SIGN”(“telescoping spine” – J.R.Jinkins, 2002)
THE “ARTICULAR VACUUM SIGN” (CT)/DISPLACEMENT OF INTRARTICULAR FLUID (MRI)