Adjacent Segment Disease Occurred in Cervical Spine Due to Trauma Rather Than Degeneration: Observation from Skeletal Scintigraphy in a Case of Tetraplegia

Cervical adjacent segment disease (ASD) is a symptomatic condition that may occurr after cervical spine surgery, accounting for approximately 6% of cases requiring a second surgery. However, some cases may lack abnormal radiographic findings, complicating both the diagnosis and treatment planning. We present the case of a 66-year-old male who developed cervical ASD following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion performed due to a traffic accident. The diagnosis was made using single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT), which disclosed increased uptake in the C3 to C7 vertebral bodies. We suggest that SPECT/CT should be considered for patients presenting with pain following cervical spine surgery to achieve a more accurate diagnosis of ASD.