Other imaging diagnostics include:
- MRIs – Particularly useful for viewing the condition of the spinal nerves and the spinal cord. MRIs take pictures from many angles.
- CT scans provide good views of the bones, especially where they encroach on nervous tissue due to their reshaping over time.
- Myelogram – this imaging technique enhances the visibility of x-rays. They are expecially good for seeing problems located at nerve roots.
In cases of Down syndrome and other conditions associated with atlantotaxial instability, visual images of the cervical spine in flexion and in extension might be taken to assist the doctor in determining the direction of treatment.
Sometimes electrical activity of the nerves and/or spinal cord is measured (by means of somatosensory evoked potentials or motor evoked potentials) to diagnose radiculopathy or myelopathy. Such tests may help to determine the presence of myelopathy, as well as the length of time the cervical spondylosis has been present in the spine, and if it is the cause of any found nerve root problem.
