EXPERIENCE WITH TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION IN EVALUATION OF SPINAL-CORD INJURY

Nine subjects (seven male, two female) underwent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) toward the evaluation of spinal cord injury (SCI). The evaluation of SCI with TMS tended to support clinical findings. Th ose subjects with clinically complete injuries demonstrated no evoked muscle response below the level of: injury. Those subjects with clinic ally incomplete injuries showed trends toward prolonged evoked muscle latencies on the weaker side. Facilitation tended to enhance distal mu scle responses. With incomplete spinal injury, the facilitation maneuv er allowed the recording of weak muscle responses as well as those oth erwise not present at rest Maximum anal sphincter contraction also hel ped facilitate muscle responses and tended to impart less noise in the recordings. Facilitation failed, however to produce a response in tho se subjects with clinically complete injuries. No subject experienced adverse effects during the study. TMS promises to be an effective tool for the evaluation of SCI.