Abstract
Spinal cord injury is the major cause of quadriplegia and disability. Plain radiographs have a low sensitivity for identifying traumatic cervical spine lesions. Therefore trauma victims with plain films negative for cervical injury but with a high clinical suspicion of injury, or positive for cervical injury should undergo CT or MR for a more definitive evaluation of the cervical spine. Besides the higher sensitivity than plain radiography in detecting fractures, CT is also able to show soft-tissue abnormalities. MR is the definitive modality in assessing cervical soft-tissue injuries, especially in the evaluation of the spinal cord, intervertebral discs, and ligaments. It also allows differentiate spinal cord hemorrhage and edema, which may have a prognostic value. The role of medical imaging in the evaluation of whiplash injuries remains to be determined.
| Original language | English |
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| Pages (from-to) | 230-234 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal Belge de Radiologie |
| Volume | 86 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2003 |
| Externally published | Yes |