MR Artifacts After Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion: A Cadaver Study

Abstract

To identify the source of metallic artifacts observed on cervical spine MR studies following anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACD&F), preoperative and postoperative MR studies were done on cadavers using standard spin echo Tl, T2, and GRASS imaging.

An ACD&F was performed on each cadaver at various levels using different combinations of drill burrs, curettes, and suction tips.

This observation suggests that metal flakes from the curettes also produced artifacts. Image distortion was greater on GRASS imaging than on the spin echo imaging.