Becker’s Healthcare Podcast David L. Skaggs, MD, Co-Director of Cedars-Sinai Spine
Dec 6, 2025
David L. Skaggs, MD, Co-Director of Cedars-Sinai Spine and an expert in spinal surgery innovations, discusses groundbreaking developments in spine care. He explains the benefits of synthetic CT scans derived from MRIs, particularly in reducing radiation exposure for children. The conversation explores the use of robotics for minimally invasive pediatric procedures and the importance of tailoring surgical tools for smaller hands. Skaggs also provides insights on the future of healthcare, emphasizing the role of AI in enhancing accessibility and affordability.
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MRI-Derived Synthetic CTs Reduce Radiation
- Synthetic CTs generated from MRIs can produce accurate bone detail within about one millimeter and include 3D reconstructions.
- This reduces radiation exposure for children and could eliminate the need for separate CT scans in adults.
Robotics Without Intraoperative Radiation
- Synthetic CTs (Bone M) can be loaded into intraoperative navigation and robotics platforms.
- That enables navigation/robotics without exposing patients to radiation during procedures.
Learning Robotics Changed Pediatric Procedures
- David Skaggs describes learning robotics after joining Cedars and performing minimally invasive pediatric procedures.
- He recounts using a robot to place small screws through a 2 cm incision to fix spondylolysis in athletes.