MRT in tumor diagnostics of the lumbar spine

MRI is also a very important and frequently used imaging procedure in the diagnosis of lumbar tumors. Since the MRI can very well depict different soft tissue qualities of different tissue types, it is used to exclude tumors or to assess existing tumors with regard to their location and size. Especially before surgical interventions, knowledge of the location and relationship to other surrounding structures is enormously important for the surgeon and for the choice of subsequent treatment.

The advantage of MRI is also here the lack of radiation exposure in comparison to conventional CT and X-ray. In addition, tumors can also be very well treated with MRI without the administration of contrast medium. On the basis of the MRI images obtained, an initial assessment of the tumor can be made as to its degeneration, i.e. whether it is a benign or malignant tumor.

Malignant tumors are conspicuous in MRI due to their invasive and aggressive growth. They often grow rapidly and displace the surrounding tissue. The presence of newly formed blood vessels in the vicinity of the tumor may be a further clearly observable indication of a malignant tumor, since malignant tumors are able to produce substances that stimulate the surrounding vessels to grow.

Benign tumors, on the other hand, are characterized by a clear demarcation from the neighboring tissue and show a significantly less aggressive and slower growth. Nevertheless, the findings should always be histologically confirmed, for example by an intraoperative biopsy. Primary malignant new growths are rare in the lumbar spine. Instead, MRI of the lumbar spine reveals metastases (daughter tumors) in the vertebral bodies. Metastases from breast cancer, prostate cancer or a lung tumor (bronchial carcinoma) are particularly common.

MRI of the sacroiliac joint (ISG)

The sacroiliac joint (ISG) can be affected by malpositions and blockages due to its high mechanical stress. These can lead to an ISG syndrome. It is characterized by a mixture of lumbar and sacral pain.

Patients often report diffuse pain in the hip and deep lumbar spine (lumbar spine) region. The pain becomes worse under load and while sitting, but it can also occur spontaneously and also go away spontaneously. In addition to the clinical examination, which includes hip function tests, an MRI of the lumbar spine can also be used to diagnose ISG syndrome.

This is particularly useful if the presence of a rheumatic disease is to be excluded. In particular, the inflammation of the sacroiliac joint, which is medically known as sacroiliitis, can be reliably depicted by MRI. The MRI allows a very precise assessment of the joint structure of the sacroiliac joint. Adhesions or acute inflammatory processes can also be diagnosed by the examination.