Imaging of the painful cervical spine

Neck pain can occur in several circumstances: traumatic, spontaneous; associated or not with motion, with or without head or upper limb irradiations. Each case requires appropriate clinical examination and radiographs. CT and MRI can be used to obtain additional information. Myelography and arteriography are exceptionally used. Cervical discography and facet joint arthrography are used therapeutically. After a brief anatomical review, normal and pathological patterns will be reviewed using radiographs. Each circumstance is studied: traumatic, degenerative, inflammatory and tumoral. It is emphasized that discogenic cervico-brachial neuralgia usually has a favorable spontaneous outcome. A special chapter is dedicated to calcifying and ossifying diseases of the cervical spine. Cervico-occipital neuralgia is also discussed.