title: International standards for neurological classification of spinal cord injury: cases with classification challenges.
abstract: The International Standards for the Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) is routinely used to determine levels of injury and to classify the severity of the injury. Questions are often posed to the International Standards Committee of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) regarding the classification. The committee felt that disseminating some of the challenging questions posed, as well as the responses, would be of benefit for professionals utilizing the ISNCSCI. Case scenarios that were submitted to the committee are presented with the responses as well as the thought processes considered by the committee members. The importance of this documentation is to clarify some points as well as update the SCI community regarding possible revisions that will be needed in the future based upon some rules that require clarification.
authors.affiliation: Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, New Jersey, and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School , Newark, New Jersey.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kirshblum
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Spinal Cord Injuries, Glostrup University Hospital, and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Denmark.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biering-Sørensen
authors.affiliation: Shriners Hospitals for Children-Philadelphia , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Betz
authors.affiliation: University of Washington School of Medicine , Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: The Institute for Rehabilitation & Research , Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville , Louisville, Kentucky.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.affiliation: Craig Hospital , Englewood, Colorado.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.affiliation: Craig H. Neilsen Foundation , Encino, California.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Jefferson School of Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mulcahey
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan Hospital and Health Systems , Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Magee Rehabilitation Hospital , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Read
authors.affiliation: International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia , Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Steeves
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology and Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, and Veterans Administration Medical Center , Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tansey
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin , Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Waring
keywords: classification; international standards; neurological level; spinal cord injury