ISSN:
1438-1435
Keywords:
Cervical spine
;
Trauma
;
Magnetic resonance imaging
;
Ligament
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract This study is a retrospective review of 43 patients with acute cervical spine trauma, including 97 ligamentous injuries of various types diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Three general patterns of ligamentous injury were observed, including: complete rupture; partial avulsion or attenuation of the ligament, without frank rupture; and combined osseous and ligamentous fragment. Overall, proton density and T2*-weighted gradient-echo or T2-weighted spinecho images in the sagittal plane provided the best evaluation of the spinal ligaments. Axial proton density and T2*-weighted gradient images were useful only in assessment of the trasverse portion of the cruciate ligament. By providing direct visualization of the spinal ligaments, MRI demonstrated multiple case of ligamentous injury that were greater than expected or unexpected from plain radiographic and computed tomographic findings. Surgical proof was obtained for 11 patients with 14 ligamentous injuries that were diagnosed by MRI independently. There were two false-positive MRI diagnoses for posterior longitudinal ligament rupture, but no false-negatives among these 11 patients. This study indicates that MRI allows accurate diagnosis of cervical spine ligamentous injuries that are otherwise only inferred by the mechanism of injury and resulting spinal alignment.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01508159
