[MR imaging in spinal cord injury]

To describe MR features of spinal trauma and assess the value of MR imaging in the prognosis.

Retrospective confrontation between initial and follow up MRI findings and clinical features in 7 young patients with spinal cord injury.

Five lesions were due to motor vehicle accidents and 2 lesions were secondary to falls. Five patients had multiple associated injuries, 1 patient had associated spinal vertebrae injury, the last had Spinal Cord injury Without Radiological Abnormalities (SCIWRA). A motor deficit was noted in 5 cases of paraplegia, a case of monoplegia and a case of tetraparesia. The initial MRI showed in 3 cases intramedullary hemorrhage, cord edema in 2 cases and spinal cord compression and contusion in 1 case. Initial MRI was not done in the remaining case. No cord transection was noted. Outcomes were marked by lack of significant neurological recovery with complications due to bed confinement in 5 cases, and complete neurolgical recovery in two cases. In follow up, MR findings included post traumatic cystic lesion (2 cases), "ad integrum" restitution (1 case), segmental atrophy with gliosis (2 cases) and myelomalacia in the 2 other cases.

MR may offer new possibilities in establishing the prognosis for neurological recovery. Our study demonstrated a good correlation between imaging findings, clinical features and outcomes. A hemorrhagic contusion in the acute stage indicated a poor prognosis while a focal hyperintense area on T2-weighted images may resolve.