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Updated: Mar 4, 2026
Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Chronic Spinal Cord Compression
Published on: May 7, 2019
A prospective serial MRI study following acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury
Joost P H J Rutges1,2, Brian K Kwon1,3, Manraj Heran4
1Department of Orthopaedics, Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, University of British Columbia, 818 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z1M9, Canada.
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.
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