On March 13-14, Northwestern Hospital in Chicago hosted the AIMS Summit 2025: Innovating Healthcare Through Collaboration. This dynamic event brought together leading minds in healthcare to explore the latest advances across a range of specialties, with a strong focus on collaborative approaches to complex health challenges. One of the standout sessions at this year’s summit shone a much-needed spotlight on Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM)—a progressive, yet often underdiagnosed spinal cord condition.
Among the speakers was Dr. Rory Murphy, trustee of Myelopathy.org, who delivered a powerful talk on the urgent need to raise awareness of DCM. As the most common cause of spinal cord dysfunction in adults worldwide, DCM remains a condition that too often flies under the radar. Dr. Murphy emphasized the devastating impact of delayed diagnosis and treatment, and he spoke passionately about Myelopathy.org’s mission to improve recognition and drive earlier intervention.
Joining Dr. Murphy was Dr. Alpesh A. Patel, Co-Director of the Northwestern Center for Spine Health and Past President of the Cervical Spine Research Society. A globally recognized leader in spinal surgery, Dr. Patel brought invaluable expertise to the discussion, offering insights into the latest surgical advancements and multidisciplinary management strategies for DCM. His experience at the helm of the Cervical Spine Research Society—a premier international organization dedicated to the study of the cervical spine—further underscored the depth of his knowledge and commitment to advancing care for patients with cervical spine disorders.
Together, Dr. Murphy and Dr. Patel highlighted the importance of early diagnosis, patient-centered care, and cross-specialty collaboration in improving outcomes for people living with DCM. Their session drew significant interest from the audience, particularly from neurologists, who posed numerous questions on the natural history of DCM. Many attendees sought to better understand how DCM progresses over time, how to identify it earlier, and how to distinguish patients who require surgical intervention from those who may be monitored conservatively.
Adding further depth to the conversation was Dr. Kieran Murphy of the Krembil Institute in Toronto, who delivered an insightful presentation on advanced imaging techniques. He focused on differentiating between spinal stenosis without spinal cord damage and cases where stenosis is causing active spinal cord injury—a distinction critical in guiding clinical decision-making. Dr. Murphy’s expertise in neuroradiology and spinal imaging offered attendees a valuable look at the emerging technologies that may enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve patient stratification in the future.
The key takeaway from this impactful session was clear: while DCM remains a challenging condition, momentum is building to address its many complexities through early recognition, innovative imaging, and collaborative care models.
The AIMS Summit 2025 lived up to its theme of Innovating Healthcare Through Collaboration, offering an essential platform for thought leaders like Dr. Rory Murphy, Dr. Alpesh Patel, and Dr. Kieran Murphy to drive important conversations about the future of spinal cord health. As Myelopathy.org continues to champion awareness and research efforts globally, forums like AIMS are critical in shaping a better future for people living with DCM.
