Imaging features of postoperative complications after spinal surgery and instrumentation

The purpose of this article is to illustrate common postoperative complications and their imaging appearances after spinal surgery, including stabilization, fusion, and disk replacement with various techniques and devices. Radiography is the primary modality for routine follow-up, but MDCT has become the standard for optimized assessment of postoperative implants, and MRI plays a major role in the diagnosis of complications such as infection and soft-tissue lesions.