Diagnostic Considerations for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Cervical Spine

Imaging Findings and Diagnostic Approach

MRI demonstrates high sensitivity for soft-tissue injuries, including ligamentous abnormalities, though specificity is limited (64-77% for various structures), according to the American College of Radiology 1
Paraspinal muscle changes and disc abnormalities may be visible on MRI, as noted by the American College of Radiology 1
There are no widely accepted MRI criteria for grading the severity of cervical soft-tissue injury, making interpretation subjective, as stated by the American College of Radiology 1
MRI has a false-positive rate of 25-40% for ligamentous injuries, frequently identifying abnormalities of unclear clinical significance, according to the American College of Radiology 2
MRI is indicated for evaluating suspected spinal cord compression or myelopathy, as recommended by the American College of Radiology 4, 5
Consider MRI when CT shows no fracture but clinical suspicion for instability remains high, as suggested by the American College of Radiology 6
Dynamic imaging (flexion-extension views) on CT or radiography should complement MRI, though these have significant limitations in the acute setting, according to the American College of Radiology 2, 7
CT remains the gold standard for identifying osseous abnormalities with >98% sensitivity, as noted by the American College of Radiology 7