The spinal cord is the vital link between the brain and body, a superhighway of life-critical information protected by the bony vertebra of the spinal column. The spinal column is the most common site for bone metastasis, when tumors spread from internal organs to the bones. Estimates indicate that at least 30% and as many as 70% of patients with cancer will experience spread of cancer to their spine. Each year, about 10,000 Americans develop primary or metastatic spinal cord tumors. "The spine is a place where people can miss lesions, especially very small metastases, which could be the difference between finding an early, treatable tumor and finding a tumor too late to be treatable," says Dr. Michael Fanariotis, chief radiologist for CT at the Telemark Hospital in Skien, Norway. About 6% of CT exams is dedicated to spine imaging, but many more exams benefit from information observed within the vertebral bodies and the discs between them.