Low-field MR imaging (0.1 T) in patients with clinically suspected acute spinal block

The diagnostic usefulness of a 0.1 T MR unit in patients with clinical suspicion of acute spinal block was studied in 59 patients who were referred to acute MR investigation. The records were reviewed retrospectively 1 month after the MR for assessing the clinical impact of the examination. Ninety-eight per cent had a true-positive examination confirmed by surgery (21%) or observation (77%). In 60% of the patients the MR imaging had a therapeutic consequence. In only one patient did the level of visualised pathology at the MR examination not correlate with the clinical findings; the patient subsequently refused surgical treatment. We conclude that a low-field MR unit is excellent for acute examination of patients clinically suspected of acute spinal block.