Early magnetic resonance imaging in spinal cord injury without radiological abnormality in adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical and imaging characteristics of patients experiencing blunt spinal trauma without radiological abnormalities but transient or persistent neurological deficits. This retrospective study analyzed plain radiographs, computed tomographic scans, and magnetic resonance images of patients with spinal cord injury without radiological abnormality (SCIWORA) who were admitted to a Level I trauma center. Neurologic status, Frankel grade, and short-term patient outcome were assessed. Of 1,604 patients experiencing blunt spinal trauma, 21 (12 men and 9 women) with a mean age of 35.5 years (range, 16.2-70.9 years) presented with a clinicoradiographic mismatch. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was available in 15 patients. In seven patients (46.6%), MRI revealed either neural (n = 2, 13.3%) or extraneural (n = 5, 33.3%) spinal abnormalities. Importantly, in eight patients (53.3%), no spinal abnormalities were visible on MRI. Furthermore, subgroup analysis revealed no prognostic value regarding the presence or absence of detectable spinal injuries. Spinal abnormalities were not detected on MRI in a substantial proportion of patients presenting with SCIWORA. The prognostic value of MRI findings in SCIWORA needs to be validated by future studies. Epidemiological study, level V.