Interactive · Patient Education
Understand Your Cervical MRI
Your MRI report is written for doctors. This page is written for you — click any numbered point on the scan to learn what that structure is and why it matters.
Educational images and labels — not a diagnosis, and not your scan. Bring your actual MRI to your visit and Dr. Hobbs will walk through it with you.
How to read the view
Axial = looking down
A cross-section slice through the neck. The grey oval in the middle is your spinal cord, wrapped in a bright ring of fluid.
Sagittal = from the side
A side view of the whole neck — the curve, the discs, and the cord running down the canal in one picture.
Watch the fluid ring
On T2 images, spinal fluid glows white. A continuous bright ring around the cord means room to spare; losing it means the canal is crowded.
Want yours explained, image by image?
Walking patients through their own MRI is part of every consultation.
Anatomy guide
Every labeled structure, explained
Use the viewer above to explore the images, or read the complete explanations below.
Axial MRI — Cervical Spine
A view looking straight down through a slice of the neck.
- Spinal Cord
- The spinal cord sits in the center of the canal as a grey oval surrounded by bright fluid. In the neck it carries the signals for your arms, hands, and the rest of your body. Pressure on the cord here can cause neck pain, hand clumsiness, balance trouble, or weakness. Cervical myelopathy.
- Spinal Fluid (CSF)
- The bright ring of cerebrospinal fluid that cushions the spinal cord. A healthy ring of fluid all the way around the cord means there is room to spare; losing that ring is a sign the canal is crowded. Spinal stenosis.
- Vertebral Body
- The block of bone at the front of the spine that bears weight. A disc sits between each pair of bodies; a worn or herniated cervical disc can press backward toward the cord or a nerve. Herniated disc.
- Vertebral Arteries
- A pair of arteries that travel up through small channels in the sides of the neck vertebrae to supply the brain. Their location is one reason neck surgery calls for precision and careful planning.
- Facet Joints
- The paired joints toward the back of each segment that guide neck motion. Arthritis or bone spurs here can narrow the openings where nerves exit and cause neck and arm pain. Degenerative changes.
- Spinous Process
- The bony bump at the back of each vertebra — the ridge you can feel down the back of your neck. Muscles and ligaments attach here, and it is a handy landmark for orienting the scan.
Sagittal MRI — Cervical Spine
A side view of the neck, from the skull base down to the upper chest.
- Vertebral Bodies (C1–C7)
- The stacked blocks of bone that form the cervical spine, labeled C1 through C7 from top to bottom. From the side you can see their alignment and the gentle forward curve a healthy neck should have. Degenerative changes.
- Intervertebral Discs
- The cushions between the neck vertebrae. A bulging or herniated cervical disc can press backward on the cord or a nerve root, causing neck pain that radiates into the shoulder, arm, or hand. Herniated disc.
- Spinal Cord
- The spinal cord runs down the center of the canal as a grey band surrounded by brighter fluid. Narrowing that flattens or dents the cord can cause cervical myelopathy — problems with the hands, walking, and balance. Cervical myelopathy.
- Spinal Fluid (CSF)
- The brighter fluid surrounding the cord. A continuous bright stripe in front of and behind the cord is a reassuring sign that there is healthy space inside the canal. Spinal stenosis.
- Anterior Longitudinal Ligament
- A strong ligament (highlighted blue) running down the front of the vertebral bodies. It supports the spine and limits backward bending of the neck.
- Posterior Longitudinal Ligament
- A ligament (highlighted salmon) along the back of the vertebral bodies, just in front of the cord. It helps contain the discs; when it hardens or thickens it can narrow the canal. Spinal stenosis.
- Ligamentum Flavum
- A ligament (highlighted yellow) at the back of the spinal canal. With age it can thicken and buckle inward, pinching the cord from behind — a common contributor to canal narrowing. Spinal stenosis.
- Nuchal Ligament
- A large ligament (highlighted green) running down the back of the neck from the skull to the spine. It supports the weight of the head and is the firm cord you can feel at the back of your neck.
Your next step
Discuss your spine care with Dr. Hobbs
Jonathan G. Hobbs, M.D. is a board-certified neurosurgeon at Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute. For questions about understand your cervical mri, call the office to arrange an individual evaluation and discuss which options may be appropriate.
Consultation offices: Crown Point, Chesterton. Your symptoms, examination, imaging, and prior treatment help guide the discussion.