[Stab injury to the cervical cord: report of three cases]

Retrospective review of the value of MR in the evaluation of stab injuries to the cervical cord in three patients admitted to our hospital. The mean patient age was 25 years old. Clinical examination showed hemiparesis in the first 2 cases and a Brown-Sequard syndrome in the third patient. Cervical spine radiographs showed no bony lesion. MR showed cord contusions for the first two patients with associated epidural hematoma in the second case, and cord laceration for the third case. MR of the cervical spine should be obtained in all patients with suspicion of cord injury following stab injury to the neck in the absence of bony lesion on plain radiographs or CT, even in the absence of neurological symptoms at the time of admission.