Priority 3 from the Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy PSP

UNCERTAINTY: What is the diagnostic criteria of DCM? When should imaging be used in the assessment of DCM?  (JLA PSP Priority 3)
Overall ranking 3
JLA question ID 0097/3
Explanatory note The diagnosis of many diseases requires a combination of certain signs and symptoms, laboratory findings and imaging evidence. Specific criteria have been developed for a number of conditions to help family practitioners and specialists confirm various diagnoses. Furthermore, several treatment algorithms have been devised to guide clinicians in the next steps of patient management. There are no diagnostic criteria for DCM or guidelines that outline when and what to image, what further tests to order and when to refer to spine surgery.
Evidence

No formal diagnostic criteria published for DCM.
No systematic reviews, scoping reviews or guidelines identified.
Health Research Classification System category
Neurological
Extra information provided by this PSP
Original uncertainty examples

What are the practical versus theoretical definitions of DCM ~ How can we diagnosis? ~ What are the evidence-informed clinical tests for the diagnosis of DCM? ~ What are the typical presentations? ~  What is at the moment the gold standard for the diagnosis of DCM? ~ Is it possible to make some diagnostic criteria for DCM?
Submitted by Spinal Surgeons x 35,  Other healthcare professionals x 34, People with DCM and their supporters x 14
PSP information
PSP unique ID 0097
PSP name Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy
Total number of uncertainties identified by this PSP. 76  (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop 20 November 2019