[Spinal epidural hematoma: relationship between imaging findings and neurological outcomes].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of CT or MR imaging findings in patients with spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) for predicting neurological outcome.


METHODS
MR images of our six patients with SEH were evaluated retrospectively: complete recovery was achieved in two patients; paresis remained in two patients; and paraplegia remained in two patients. The ratio of the maximum anteroposterior diameter of the SEH to that of the spinal canal was calculated in each patient on midline on axial images in our six patients and 23 previously reported patients.


RESULTS
Among our six patients, the ratio was less than 60% in two patients with total recovery, whereas all four patients with remaining motor impairment had ratios of 60% or more. Of 29 cases, 18 of 22 patients without residual motor impairment had ratios of less than 60%, but five of seven patients with residual motor deficits had ratios of 60% or more (p = 0.023).


CONCLUSIONS
The degree of spinal cord compression by hematoma may be a prognostic factor in SEH.
Department of Radiology, Aso Iizuka Hospital.
Tomoyuki
T
Noguchi
Shuichi
S
Oguri
Toshihiro
T
Yamaguchi
Takeshi
T
Kamitani
Madoka
M
Saku
Masahiko
M
Kimura
Yusuke
Y
Nakamura
Junji
J
Murakami
Shinji
S
Nagata
Sukehisa
S
Nagano
Junichiro
J
Furuya
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006407:Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed