Follow-up Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Patients with Herniated Cervical Intervertebral Disc

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the relationship between the morphologic changes of and the clinical course of conservatively treated herniated cervical disc patients METHOD: Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical assessment by the visual analogue scale were performed in 21 patients at a mean interval of 22.7 months. RESULTS: An average reduction ratio of herniation on the sagittal and axial images were 11.65% and 19.5%, respectively. The clinical features improved significantly and the degree of clinical improvement was unrelated to the reduction ratio of herniation. CONCLUSION: 8 out of 21 (38.09%) showed reduction of herniated mass on follow up MRI after conservative treatment. The patients with extruded and sequestered disc herniation showed more morphologic changes on MRI. There was no correlation between the clinical state and the morphological change of herniated cervical disc.