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Research progress on multimodal imaging in cervicogenic headache
YANG Jialin  XIE Fangfang  ZOU Hanyu  MA Jianwen  CUI Jiahe  HAN Haotian  YAO Fei 

DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.05.023.


[Abstract] Cervicogenic headache (CGH) is a secondary headache caused by abnormal structures or functions of the cervical spine. It is characterized by unilateral neck pain radiating to the occipital and frontal regions, aggravation during activity, and restricted cervical movement. Currently, the diagnosis of CGH mainly relies on clinical manifestations, lacking objective indicators, which can lead to missed diagnoses and misdiagnoses. Therefore, objective detection methods are particularly important for the diagnosis of CGH and the evaluation of clinical efficacy. Imaging studies of CGH are based on objective imaging evidence, accurately locating the sources of nerve compression and inflammation, and achieving quantitative assessment of peripheral responsible lesions of CGH, providing an objective basis for establishing a standardized imaging evaluation system and guiding precise diagnosis and treatment. This article systematically reviews the research and application progress of conventional imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and ultrasound medicine in the auxiliary diagnosis and mechanism research of CGH, and discusses the advantages and limitations of various imaging methods, providing a reference for multimodal assessment and individualized treatment of CGH.
[Keywords] cervicogenic headache；imaging；functional magnetic resonance imaging；diffusion tensor imaging；single photon emission computed tomography；positron emission tomography；ultrasound

YANG Jialin1   XIE Fangfang1   ZOU Hanyu1   MA Jianwen1   CUI Jiahe2   HAN Haotian1   YAO Fei1, 2*  

1 School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China

2 Department of Tuina, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200090, China

Corresponding author: YAO F, E-mail: doctoryaofei@shutcm.edu.cn

Conflicts of interest   None.

Received  2026-01-27
Accepted  2026-04-17
DOI: 10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.05.023
DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.05.023.

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