Cervical spine stenosis. Colour-converted sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan through a human head and neck, showing severe stenosis (narrowing) of the spinal cord in the neck. The image plane passes vertically through the centre of the body, with the front of the head at left. The vertebrae (orange) of the spine are separated by intervertebral discs (green). The spinal cord (yellow) runs down the centre of the backbone, enclosed by the vertebrae. The stenosis is caused by bony spurs (osteophytes) from the vertebrae at the C6/C7 level pressing on the spinal cord from either side. The brain is also seen within the skull at top.