OBJECTIVE To evaluate functional stenosis of the cervical spine, kinematic MRI was performed in 23 healthy volunteers and 23 patients with degenerative disease. METHODS Kinematic MRI of the cervical spine was done from 50 degrees of inclination to 30 degrees of reclination. Depending on the maximum inclination and reclination the range of motion was divided into 9 equal angle positions. At each angle position sagittal T2* weighted gradient echo sequences were performed. RESULTS In relation to the neutral position a physiological narrowing of the ventral epidural space was seen in healthy volunteers at inclination (50 degrees) in up to 50% and respectively widening at reclination (30 degrees) in up to 10%. An increase of spinal canal stenosis or even spinal cord compression was seen at inclination in 5 patients (22%) and in 15 patients (65%) at reclination. No change of spinal canal stenosis was found in three patients (13%). CONCLUSIONS In patients with degenerative disease of the cervical spine kinematic MRI demonstrated in some patients functional spinal canal stenosis with myelon compression which was not seen in standard MRI. Therefore kinematic MR imaging can be recommended as a complementary examination in the early detection of functional myelon compression and in planning the further therapeutic work-up.