Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Comparison between MRI Findings and Clinical Manifestations

Objective To assess the clinical application of MRI in spinal cord injury.Materials and Methods Clinical data and MRI findings in 66 patients with spinal cord injury were retrospectively analyzed, focusing on the relation between MRI signs, pathological results and clinical manifestations.Results MRI showed vertebral fracture in 51, intervertebral disc extrusion in 2 and vertebral fracture with disc extrusion in 5 cases. Besides, partial and complete vertebral olisthy was seen in 20 and one case, respectively. Partial and complete fragmentation of the spinal cord was demonstrated in 4 and one case, respectively. In 41 cases the spinal cord was compressed due to the fracture, subluxation or disc extrusion. Of 62 patients with coherent spinal cord, abnormal signal in the injured area was demonstrated in 59, of which clinical improvement after treatment was seen in 25, no improvement in 26 and death occurred in 8.Conclusion MRI can clarify the presence or absence of the spinal cord injury and determine the extent of the injury, very helpful for guiding clinical management and evaluating the prognosis.