[Magnetic resonance tomography in spinal trauma].

PURPOSE

To assess the value of MR imaging in the acute and chronic stages of spinal trauma.

METHODS

126 MR examinations of 120 patients were evaluated retrospectively. In 15 cases of acute spinal cord injury, correlation of MR findings with the degree of neurological deficit and eventual recovery was undertaken.

RESULTS

Cord anomalies in the acute stage were seen in 16 patients. Intramedullary haemorrhage (n = 6) and cord transection (n = 2) were associated with complete injuries and poor prognosis, whereas patients with cord oedema (n = 7) had incomplete injuries and recovered significant neurological function. In the chronic stage, MR findings included persistent cord compression in 8 patients, syringomyelia or post-traumatic cyst in 12, myelomalacia in 6, cord atrophy in 9, and cord transection in 7 patients.

CONCLUSION

In acute spinal trauma, MR proved useful in assessing spinal cord compression and instability. In addition, direct visualisation and characterisation of post-traumatic changes within the spinal cord may offer new possibilities in establishing the prognosis for neurological recovery. In the later stages, potentially remediable causes of persistent or progressive symptoms, such as chronic spinal cord compression or syringomyelia can be distinguished from other sequelae of spinal trauma, such as myelomalacia, cord transection or atrophy.