Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026
09:19
Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging for Assessment of Spinal Cord Blood Flow in Experimental Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: May 7, 2015
14.1K
Spontaneous spinal cord infarction: a systematic review.
Maria Gharios1, Vasilios Stenimahitis1,2, Victor Gabriel El-Hajj1
1Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
BMJ Neurology Open
|May 31, 2024
Summary
Spinal cord infarction is rare but often linked to vascular risk factors like hypertension. Most patients regain walking ability after treatment, highlighting the need for better diagnostic criteria and guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vascular Medicine
- Radiology
Background:
- Spontaneous spinal cord infarction (SCInf) is a rare cause of acute neurological deficits.
- Lack of consensus on diagnostic criteria poses challenges for clinicians.
- Understanding epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the current literature on spontaneous SCInf.
- To analyze epidemiological data, diagnostic methods, and treatment strategies.
- To evaluate neurological outcomes and patient recovery.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase.
- Keywords included 'spontaneous', 'spinal cord', 'infarction', and 'ischaemic'.
- Data extraction and analysis from 33 eligible studies involving 440 patients.
Main Results:
- Hypertension (40%), smoking (30%), dyslipidaemia (29%), and diabetes (16%) were common vascular risk factors.
- MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) aided diagnosis in 81% of cases.
- 71% of patients regained ambulation, with significant neurological improvement observed.
Conclusions:
- Vascular risk factors play a significant role in SCInf.
- DWI-enhanced MRI is valuable for diagnosis.
- Neurological recovery, including ambulation, is generally expected, but further research is needed for guidelines.
Keywords:
STROKE
Related Concept Videos
01:54The Spinal Cord
27.5K
The spinal cord is the body’s major nerve tract of the central nervous system, communicating afferent sensory information from the periphery to the brain and efferent motor information from the brain to the body. The human spinal cord extends from the hole at the base of the skull, or foramen magnum, to the level of the first or second lumbar vertebra.
27.5K
01:15Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology
74
An ischemic stroke occurs when a cerebral blood vessel becomes obstructed, most often by a thrombus or embolus, interrupting the delivery of oxygen and glucose to brain tissue. Because neurons rely on continuous aerobic metabolism, energy failure begins within minutes of reduced perfusion. The region receiving the least blood flow becomes the infarct core, an area of irreversible cellular death. Surrounding this core lies the penumbra, a zone of hypoperfused but still viable tissue that is...
74
01:14Spinal Cord Injury ll: Pathophysiology
47
Spinal cord injury progresses through two interconnected phases: primary injury and secondary injury.Primary InjuryPrimary injury happens at the moment of trauma and involves immediate mechanical damage to the spinal cord.Compression happens when broken vertebrae, herniated discs, or accumulating blood (such as a hematoma) press directly against the spinal cord, distorting its normal shape and function. In cases of contusion, the cord is bruised by a blunt force (like penetrating injuries or...
47
01:25Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology
72
Early Ischemia and Ionic ImbalanceWithin minutes of spinal cord injury, a secondary cascade begins, progressing over hours to weeks. Vascular damage reduces blood flow, causing ischemia and mitochondrial dysfunction. ATP depletion leads to ion pump failure, membrane depolarization, sodium influx, potassium efflux, and water accumulation, resulting in cellular swelling. Increased intracellular calcium further disrupts mitochondria and accelerates cellular injury.Excitotoxicity and Neuronal...
72