Brain, Neck & Spine

Usually not.  A head CT done without contrast given into a vein in most cases will not identify an aneurysm.  Rarely, a large aneurysm may be seen as a mass,…

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to image the inside of the body.  The advantage is that the test uses no radiation.  Ultrasound is useful for diagnosis of many medical…

Hyperdensity is a descriptive term sometimes used in radiology reports.  This means that the abnormality is brighter than the surrounding brain.  Many abnormalities are hyperdense but one of the most…

Degenerative changes on X-ray is a non specific term denoting arthritic findings.  This is a common finding related to aging.  This can be seen throughout the spine and joints in…

Hypodensity on head CT means that the abnormal area in the brain is darker than the surrounding normal brain tissue.  This type of abnormal tissue can have a variety of…

A small hyperdense focus on head CT is a spot brighter than the surrounding brain.  I am talking about a tiny spot less than say 5 mm.   Bright spots…

Lumbar X-rays are commonly done for low back pain. Degenerative changes are one of the most common findings and becomes more advanced with age. Degenerative changes encompasses findings that involve…

Lumbar X-ray for low back pain is a commonly ordered test that offers a quick, relatively inexpensive look at the lumbar or lower spine vertebra. Lumbar X-rays only show bones…

Subdural hemorrhage is a bleed inside the head along the surface of the brain. The bleed is located between dura and arachnoid layers of the meninges or covering of the…

Midline shift is a term used to describe a shift of the brain structures to the side of the head. Normally the brain is symmetric from side to side and…

Chronic small vessel disease or chronic microvascular ischemic changes is a very common finding on head CT as we age. Some radiologists refer to this as age related white matter…

Head CT is a test that is often done to investigate the cause of headaches.  It is a quick and readily available test that can show many conditions of the…