Brain, Neck & Spine

A “synovial cyst of the spine” is a benign (non-cancerous) finding that relates to normal wear and tear in the joints of your spine. MRI helps with diagnosing synovial cysts…

CT or MRI reports of the spine often mention facet arthropathy, facet joint arthritis, or facet degeneration.  This simply reflects common wear-and-tear of the spine’s small joints. This article explains…

“Spinal stenosis” means narrowing of the spinal canal or bony tunnel that surrounds the spinal cord.   On MRI, radiologists describe the degree of narrowing as mild, moderate, or severe…

A Schmorl node is a common finding on spine MRI. It occurs when part of a spinal disc pushes into the adjacent vertebral bone, creating a small pit or indentation….

Cervical spondylosis is a common finding on MRI scans of the neck. It refers to age-related wear and tear changes in the cervical spine, which includes the bones, discs, joints,…

Brain MRI reports may mention “nonspecific white matter changes.”  These words don’t point to a single disease. Rather, they describe areas in the brain’s white matter (the part connecting different…

The buccinator muscle plays an important role in everyday actions like chewing, speaking, and even blowing air. Radiologists may comment on it when evaluating the face and mouth on CT…

When the term suboccipital appears in a radiology report, it refers to the area just below the back of the skull. This region is small but important because it contains…

The styloid process is a slender, pointed piece of bone located just below the ear, projecting from the temporal bone of the skull. It serves as an anchor point for…

An osteoma is a benign bone growth that often appears on imaging studies performed for other reasons. These growths develop slowly, are usually painless, and most commonly occur in the…

When a radiology report mentions cervical lymphadenopathy, it means that lymph nodes in the neck are enlarged. This is a common finding on imaging studies such as ultrasound, CT, or…