Radiologic Evaluation of Chronic Neck Pain

  

Dan Murphy, DC—

Private Practice of Chiropractic;

Diplomate American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedist;

Faculty Life Chiropractic College West;

Vice President ICA 2003-2009;

ICA Chiropractor of the Year 2009

INTRODUCTION

The October 15, 2010 issue of the journal American Family Physician, published an article summarizing the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria for chronic neck pain. Key concepts from the abstract of this article include:

• Imaging plays an important role in evaluating patients with chronic neck pain.

• Five radiographic views (anteroposterior, lateral, open-mouth, and both oblique views) are recommended for all patients with chronic neck pain with or without a history of trauma.

• Magnetic resonance imaging should be performed in patients with chronic neurologic signs or symptoms, regardless of radiographic findings.

• Patients with normal radiographic findings and no neurologic signs or symptoms, or patients with radiographic evidence of spondylosis and no neurologic findings, need no further imaging studies.

KEY CONCEPT:

1) The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria has produced the optimal imaging study for every clinical scenario.)

2) This study considers two etiologies of chronic neck pain:

a. Posttraumatic: includes gross injuries and whiplash syndrome.

b. Degenerative: includes spondylosis, degenerative disk disease, and acute disk herniation; degeneration may also be secondary to previous injury.

3) Spondylosis is radiologically diagnosed when osteophytes, disk space narrowing, or facet disease are present.

4) There is “little correlation between the presence of cervical spondylosis or degenerative disk disease and the severity or duration of symptoms.”

5) “Although spondylosis and disk disease increase with age and are usually asymptomatic, whiplash can accelerate these processes and lead to symptoms.”

6) A long-term (minimum 10 year follow-up) study in 2009 demonstrated that progressive degenerative changes on MRI are not associated with clinical symptoms, and “the authors concluded that there is no statistically significant association between MRI findings and changes in clinical symptoms.” [Important, see Key Points, below]

7) MRI is useful in documenting disk herniations, canal encroachment by osteophytes, tumor, infection, fractures, and posttraumatic ligament ruptures of the lower cervical column.

8) “Although MRI does not always detect the cause of chronic neck pain, particularly at the craniocervical junction, it is the preferred method for making most diagnoses.”

9) Guidelines from the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria for the evaluation of patients with chronic neck pain (regardless of the etiology) include the following:

a. A five-view radiographic examination (i.e., antero-posterior, lateral, open-mouth, and both oblique views) should initially be performed in patients of any age with chronic neck pain with or without a history of remote trauma, with a history of malignancy, or with a history of neck surgery in the remote past.

b. Patients with chronic neck pain and normal radiographic findings, and no neurologic signs or symptoms need no further imaging.

c. Patients with chronic neck pain and normal radiographic findings, and neurologic signs or symptoms should undergo MRI.

d. Patients with chronic neck pain and whiplash-associated disorders should “undergo MRI to evaluate for disk herniations, spur encroachment of the vertebral canal, or ligament abnormalities of the lower cervical region.”

e. If MRI is contraindicated (e.g., in patients with a cardiac pacemaker or severe claustrophobia), CT myelography with multi-planar reconstruction is recommended.

f. “Patients with radiologic evidence of cervical spondylosis or a previous trauma without neurologic signs or symptoms need no further imaging.”

g. “Patients with radiographic evidence of cervical spondylosis or previous trauma and neurologic signs and symptoms should undergo MRI. If MRI is contraindicated, CT myelography is recommended.”

h. “Patients with radiographic evidence of bone or disk margin destruction should undergo MRI. If an epidural abscess is suspected, the examination should be performed with intravenous contrast media. CT is indicated only if MRI cannot be performed.”

i. “Facet injections and arthrography are useful for patients with multilevel disease diagnosed by any imaging modality to identify the specific disk level that is producing symptoms.”

j. “Diskography is not recommended in patients with chronic neck pain.”

KEY POINTS FROM DAN MURPHY:

1) All chronic neck pain patients, with or without a history of trauma, should have 5 radiographic views (antero-posterior, lateral, open-mouth, and both oblique views).

2) All chronic neck pain patients with neurologic signs or symptoms should have an MRI, regardless of radiographic findings.

3) It is inappropriate to ascribe a whiplash-injured patient’s chronic neck symptoms to pre-accident degenerative disease (spondylosis).

4) Depending upon the circumstances, if one did not follow these Guidelines from the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria for the evaluation of patients with chronic neck pain, it is possible that one might be accused of practicing below the standard.

5) On the other hand, if an insurance company, reviewer, or examining board claimed that radiographs were not indicated in a chronic neck pain patient, one could use this study to argue for their necessity.

6) Additionally, I would suggest that all acute traumatic neck pain patients have x-rays to rule-out fracture. I also suggest that all acute traumatic and chronic neck pain patients have maximum flexion-extension x-rays to evaluate for segmental instability.

REFERENCES

1. Daffner RH. Radiologic Evaluation of Chronic Neck Pain; American Family Physician; October 15, 2010; Vol. 82, No. 8, pp. 959-964.

Research