SPINAL-INJURIES IN CHILDREN - ROLE OF MR

PURPOSE: To define the clinical and prognostic role of MR in a pediatr ic population with spinal cord injury. METHODS: Fifteen children under went MR 12 hours to 2 months postinjury using decoupled surface coils and ventilator support as needed. MR was correlated retrospectively wi th clinical, CT, and radiographic findings. RESULTS: On MR, of seven c hildren with spinal cord neurologic deficits, four had hemorrhagic con tusions, one had nonhemorrhagic contusion, one had extensive infarctio n, and one revealed a normal cord. All had persistent deficits on hosp ital discharge. Eight without cord neurologic deficit revealed no cord lesions on MR; this group included two with epidural hematoma, four w ith ligamentous disruption, and two with bone compression. CONCLUSIONS : Children may have extensive cord contusion and/or infarction with mi nor, remote, or no fracture dislocation. Because both hemorrhagic and nonhemorrhagic cord lesions found on MR were associated with significa nt, persistent cord deficits, the authors conclude that MR provides a practical tool for diagnosis/prognosis in children with acute/subacute spinal injury.