Cervical spine MRI / whole-spine MRI

What it is

Cervical spine MRI (and often whole-spine MRI) images the spinal cord, complementing the brain MRI in Chiari malformation. It is used primarily to detect a syrinx and assess its location and extent.

Understanding Cervical spine MRI / whole-spine MRI

Because Chiari malformation is commonly associated with syringomyelia, imaging the spinal cord is an important part of the evaluation. Cervical spine MRI focuses on the neck region, where a syrinx most often forms, while whole-spine MRI covers the entire cord, since a syrinx can extend or occur at other levels. Spine MRI shows whether a syrinx is present, how long it is (how many levels it spans), and its width — information important for management, since the presence of a syrinx often influences the decision to treat. Spine MRI is also used in follow-up to monitor whether a syrinx is stable, shrinking, or expanding. Combining brain and spine MRI gives a complete picture. Understanding spine MRI clarifies how the spinal cord is evaluated for a syrinx in Chiari.

Why it matters

Understanding spine MRI helps families see why imaging the spinal cord — not just the brain — is important in Chiari, to detect and monitor a syrinx that influences treatment decisions.