Imaging of spine instability.

Spine instability is an important cause of back pain and disability. The most common causes of clinical instability are spinal trauma, congenital anomalies, inflammatory disorders, degenerative disease, and prior surgery. Imaging of spine instability relies on both static anatomic imaging and functional assessment of spine motion. This chapter reviews the complexity of defining instability and reviews the common antecedents of spine instability and their imaging features.