Technical issues for MRI examination of the spinal cord

Examination of the spinal cord by magnetic resonance imaging is discussed with respect to modem techniques and equipment. Care must be taken in protocol design to maximize resolution and signal strength while providing diagnostic contrast. Artifacts, including truncation, magnetic susceptibility, and those due to motion, may be present and strategies for their mitigation are discussed in this review. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.