Laboratory testing may help in diagnosis, especially if an infection (i.e., Lyme disease), autoimmune arthritis, or a metabolic disorder (folate or vitamin B12 deficiency) is high on the differential diagnosis. A CBC with differential along with an ESR and CRP are also necessary; however, all lack specificity for spinal infection. Blood cultures may also be indicated when an infection is suspected.
Imaging should begin with a radiographic evaluation, which may indicate a decrease in normal cervical lordosis, hypertrophic changes, and disc space narrowing. They are also helpful in ruling out additional problems like fractures or instability. Computed tomography (CT) may also be helpful for preoperative planning, especially in patients with dorsal osteophytes and OPLL. MRI is the gold standard for patients when considering degeneration of the cervical spine as a potential diagnosis as ligaments, disc, and neural structures visible. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging allows for the evaluation of both soft tissue and boney structures and accurately measures functionally relevant spinal canal and spinal cord dimensions in various planes.
| Codes | Code Description |
|---|---|
| M50.90 | Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, unspecified cervical region |
| M50.00 | Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, unspecified cervical region |
| M50.01 | Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, occipito-atlanto-axial region |
| M50.02 | Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, mid-cervical region |
| M50.03 | Cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, cervicothoracic region |
| M50.10 | Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, unspecified cervical region |
| M50.11 | Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, occipito-atlanto-axial region |
| M50.12 | Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, mid-cervical region |
| M50.13 | Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, cervicothoracic region |
| M50.20 | Other cervical disc displacement, unspecified cervical region |
| M50.21 | Other cervical disc displacement, occipito-atlanto-axial region |
| M50.22 | Other cervical disc displacement, mid-cervical region |
| M50.23 | Other cervical disc displacement, cervicothoracic region |
| M50.30 | Other cervical disc degeneration, unspecified cervical region |
| M50.31 | Other cervical disc degeneration, occipito-atlanto-axial region |
| M50.32 | Other cervical disc degeneration, mid-cervical region |
| M50.33 | Other cervical disc degeneration, cervicothoracic region |
| M50.80 | Other cervical disc disorders, unspecified cervical region |
| M50.81 | Other cervical disc disorders, occipito-atlanto-axial region |
| M50.82 | Other cervical disc disorders, mid-cervical region |
| M50.83 | Other cervical disc disorders, cervicothoracic region |
| M50.91 | Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, occipito-atlanto-axial region |
| M50.92 | Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, mid-cervical region |
| M50.93 | Cervical disc disorder, unspecified, cervicothoracic region |
| Z03.75 | Encounter for suspected cervical shortening ruled out |
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