1. A prospective serial MRI study following acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury.
- Author
-
Rutges JPHJ, Kwon BK, Heran M, Ailon T, Street JT, and Dvorak MF
- Subjects
- Acute Disease, Adult, Aged, Cervical Cord diagnostic imaging, Cervical Vertebrae diagnostic imaging, Cervical Vertebrae injuries, Edema diagnostic imaging, Edema etiology, Female, Hematoma diagnostic imaging, Hematoma etiology, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging methods, Male, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Prospective Studies, Spinal Cord Compression diagnostic imaging, Spinal Cord Diseases diagnostic imaging, Spinal Cord Injuries complications, Time Factors, Cervical Cord injuries, Spinal Cord Injuries diagnostic imaging
- Abstract
Purpose: In acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) patients, we sought to characterize how objective MRI measures of injury change during the first 3 week post-injury., Methods: Six MRI scans each were planned in 19 cervical SCI patients within the first 3 week post-injury. Length of cord edema, maximum spinal cord compression, maximum canal compromise, and presence and length of hematoma were measured., Results: Length of spinal cord edema increased in the first 48 h after SCI, followed by a gradual decrease in the 3 weeks after injury. This was predominantly seen in the more severe grades of SCI. Hematoma in the spinal cord was seen in all AIS-A and B patients., Conclusion: This study demonstrates the dynamic nature of imaging changes on MRI in the first weeks after injury and highlights the importance of taking into account the timing of imaging when interpreting objective measures of damage.
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF