Cervical radiculopathy: computed tomography and myelography compared.

The accuracy of CT in the determination of cervical disk herniation has not been measured as it has in the determination of lumbar disk disease. Cervical myelograms and CT scans of patients with cervical radiculopathy secondary to disk herniation or spondylosis, which was verified by clinical examination, surgery, and in most cases EMG, were evaluated blindly and independently, results were analyzed statistically, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated. CT without or with the use of intrathecal metrizamide was more accurate than myelography in the identification of lesions that caused cervical radiculopathy. In some patients, CT obviates the need for cervical myelography. With improvement in CT techniques and more experience in interpreting the images, CT will be increasingly important in the evaluation of cervical radiculopathy.