title: Diagnosis and prognosis of traumatic spinal cord injury.
abstract: Despite promising advances in basic spinal cord repair research, no effective therapy resulting in major neurological or functional recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) is available to date. The neurological examination according to the International Standards for Neurological and Functional Classification of Spinal Cord Injury Patients (International Standards) has become the cornerstone in the assessment of the severity and level of the injury. Based on parameters from the International Standards, physicians are able to inform patients about the predicted long-term outcomes, including the ability to walk, with high accuracy. In those patients who cannot participate in a reliable physical neurological examination, magnetic resonance imaging and electrophysiological examinations may provide useful diagnostic and prognostic information. As clinical research on this topic continues, the prognostic value of the reviewed diagnostic assessments will become more accurate in the near future. These advances will provide useful information for physicians to counsel tSCI patients and their families during the catastrophic initial phase after the injury.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia ; Trauma Service, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Joost J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van Middendorp
authors.affiliation: AOSpine Reference Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goss
authors.affiliation: Spinal Injuries Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urquhart
authors.affiliation: Spinal Injuries Unit, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Sridhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Atresh
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia ; AOSpine Reference Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia ; Trauma Service, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuetz
keywords: diagnosis; prognosis; review; spinal cord injury