title: MR investigation in evaluation of chronic whiplash alar ligament injury in elderly patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the imaging features for chronic whiplash alar ligament injury in elderly patients and to provide an effective diagnostic method for long-term neck pain and headaches due to alar ligament injury in elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 134 elderly patients, who engaged in the work or activities related to whiplash motion and suffered from chronic neck pain, were enrolled for the study. All patients were performed comprehensive health examination (CT, MR, ultrasound and laboratory examination) and high resolution PDWI. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the results of comprehensive health examination: a clear etiology group(CE group, n=96) and an unknown etiology group(UE group, n=38). Th e characteristics of PDWI signal in the ligament were analyzed between the 2 groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Th e anatomy and signal characteristics of the alar ligament were clearly displayed by high resolution PDWI. Th e alar ligaments were effectively displayed by oblique coronal image. In the CE group, 7 patients (7/96) showed the positive sign of ligament injured, while 21 (21/38) patients showed positive sign of ligament injured in the UE group (P<0.01). Chronic whiplash ligament injury was proved to be the reason for long-term neck pain and headaches in 15.7% patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Th e whiplash injury of alar ligament is an important reason for chronic neck pain in elderly patients. High resolution PDWI is an effective method to evaluate the image features of alar ligament and can provide an accurate diagnosis for chronic neck pain and headaches caused by the alar ligament whiplash injury.
authors: Department of Radiology, Xiangya School of Medicine Affi liated Haikou Hospital, Central South University, Haikou 570208; 2. Department of Radiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
authors: Jianqiang
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Wang
authors: Guibin
authors: G
authors: Han
authors: Xiangjun
authors: X
authors: Han
authors: Xiangying
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: Yuefu
authors: Y
authors: Zhan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D059350:Chronic Pain; D005205:Fascia; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*