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Spine and Spinal Cord Trauma

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Clinical Neuroradiology

Abstract

Traumatic spine and spinal cord injuries are common and potentially devastating lesions, resulting in a wide spectrum of clinical findings (ranging from a minor nuisance to major neurologic deficits and death). These injuries are associated with numerous medical complications in the acute and long-term phase of care, as well as with important socioeconomic consequences. A complete assessment of spinal injury using radiological techniques involves the evaluation of bony structures, ligaments, the spinal canal, and the spinal cord itself. The primary objectives of imaging patients with trauma of the spine are the accurate depiction of the spinal axis, the identification of surgical emergencies, and the detection of unstable injuries. Computed tomography (CT) plays a central role of clinical neuroradiology in the acute spinal trauma and is the gold-standard screening study for the identification of bone injury and alignment abnormalities, with significantly higher sensitivity and specificity compared to plain radiography. However, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging exhibits superior diagnostic accuracy in the evaluation of the spinal cord, ligaments, and soft tissue injuries. Patients with neurologic deficits and progressive worsening, with CT findings suggestive of spinal cord, disc, ligamentous, or nerve root injuries, will benefit from an early MR imaging that often influences further clinical management.

This publication is endorsed by: European Society of Neuroradiology (www.esnr.org)

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Jasmina Boban

  2. Department for Diagnostic Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Majda M. Thurnher

  3. Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and AZ Nikolaas, Edegem, Belgium

    Johan W. Van Goethem

  4. Belgium and Algemeen Ziekenhuis Nikolaas, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium

    Johan W. Van Goethem

Authors
  1. Jasmina Boban
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  2. Majda M. Thurnher
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  3. Johan W. Van Goethem
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jasmina Boban .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Frederik Barkhof

  2. National Hosp.f Neurology & Neurosurgery, UCL National Hosp.f Neurology & Neurosurgery, London, UK

    Rolf Jager

  3. Division of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Vienna Division of Neuroradiology, Wien, Austria

    Majda Thurnher

  4. Department of Neuroradiology, Hospital Vall d’Hebrón Department of Neuroradiology, Barcelona, Spain

    Alex Rovira Cañellas

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital and AZ Nikolaas, Antwerp, Belgium

    Johan van Goethem

  2. Belgium and Algemeen Ziekenhuis Nikolaas, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium

    Johan van Goethem

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Boban, J., Thurnher, M.M., Van Goethem, J.W. (2018). Spine and Spinal Cord Trauma. In: Barkhof, F., Jager, R., Thurnher, M., Rovira Cañellas, A. (eds) Clinical Neuroradiology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61423-6_28-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61423-6_28-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-61423-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-61423-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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