Studying a New Piece of Equipment That Can Help Plan Radiation Therapy of the Spine

Assessment of a Custom-Built MRI Coil for Spine Radiotherapy Treatment Planning

Participants will receive an MRI with a custom-built MRI coil for each participant. The purpose is to find out whether this custom-built MRI coil can help doctors see the different parts of the spine as well as or better than they can with standard CT myelograms.

Inclusion Criteria:

• >/= 18 years of age at the time of treatment

• Able to give informed consent

• Consented for spine stereotactic radiation therapy

• No contraindications for CT myelograms which include:

  • Allergy to CT contrast
  • Use of phenothiazines
  • Platelet count < 60,000 K/mcl
  • INR > 1.5
  • VEGF inhibitor use in the past 2 weeks prior to myelogram
  • NSAID use in the past 5 days prior to myelogram
  • Renal disease
  • Creatinine > 1.2 mg/dL

• No contraindications for MRI scans which include:

  • Newly placed glucose monitors
  • Tattoos (Tattoos for radiation therapy are allowed)
  • Presence of a cardiac pacemaker
  • Presence of an implanted cardioverter defibrillator
  • Breast tissue expander
  • Aneurysm clip
  • Any other implanted metallic (BB, bullet, shrapnel, IUD, metallic stent or filter, spinal cord simulator etc.) or electronic device which is considered MR unsafe
  • Severe claustrophobia or inability to lie flat for the duration of the study, etc.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of surgical spine hardware at the region of interest
• Presence of cervical spine lesions
• History of claustrophobia