The Role of Imaging in the Management of Cystic Formations of the Mobile Spine (CYFMOS)

Abstract

There has been a general understanding that CYFMOS are associated with degenerative spine changes. More recent articles however have suggested that identifying detailed imaging characteristics can assist in determining outcomes when CYFMOS are treated with interventional percutaneous methods or surgical decompression with or without concomitant fusion. CYFMOS although uncommon are not a rare finding seen in the spine when there is a background of degenerative spine changes. These cystic lesions are generally symptomatic by exhibiting mass effect on adjacent structure. Most treatments are aimed at decompression by interventional percutaneous or surgical means. Various imaging characteristics of these CYFMOS described in this article including their signal intensity, presence of spinal instability, particular patterns of adjacent degenerative changes, and imaging changes following interventional treatments can help guide physicians when managing these cases.

Understanding a mass in the paraspinal region: an anatomical approach

“…Spinal degenerative disorders may be associated with small size abnormalities in the paraspinal soft tissues, including lumbar interspinous bursitis , which is shown as a fluid-like signal located between adjacent pathological spinous processes, cystic formations of the mobile spine or fibrous nodules on the side of the spinous processes or lysis (Additional file 1 : Fig. S3) [ 108 ].…”