Chronic injuries of the spinal cord: assessment with MR imaging.
Seventy-six patients with persistent myelopathy secondary to chronic spinal cord injuries underwent examination with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, the results of which were correlated with neurologic findings. Twenty-one patients received follow-up study during and after the acute stage; 55 patients were examined only at a chronic stage. Spinal cord abnormalities were seen in 48 patients according to five patterns: (a) normal signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted images (pattern N/N, n = 28), (b) normal signal intensity on T1-weighted and hyperintensity on T2-weighted images (pattern N/Hi, n = 18), (c) hypointensity on T1-weighted and hyperintensity on T2-weighted images (pattern Lo/Hi, n = 17), (d) cord atrophy (n = 5), and (e) longitudinal syrinx formation with hypointensity on T1- and hyperintensity or isointensity on T2-weighted images (n = 8). Patients with pattern N/N had only slight neurologic damage and an excellent prognosis. Patients with pattern N/Hi had mild neurologic impairment, frequently associated with cord compression. Patients with pattern Lo/Hi had the worst prognosis. Atrophy was observed in patients with a long history of myelopathy.
Yamashita
Y
Y
Department of Radiology, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
Takahashi
M
M
Matsuno
Y
Y
Sakamoto
Y
Y
Oguni
T
T
Sakae
T
T
Yoshizumi
K
K
Kim
E E
EE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*