Spinal Cord Injury without Radiological Abnormality in Adults: Clinical and Radiological Discordance.

BACKGROUND: Patients with spinal cord injury without radiological abnormality (SCIWORA) show varying clinical prognostic courses independent of radiological findings. The fact that patients cannot be evaluated using a specific terminologic standard has led to the emergence of the real SCIWORA definition. In this study, clinical progressions of 11 patients diagnosed with SCIWORA were analyzed, and terminologic differences were discussed.

METHODS: The clinical findings of 11 adults with a diagnosis of SCIWORA at the time of diagnosis and in the long term were analyzed according to the ASIA classification scheme. The presence of a correlation between radiological findings from the early and late periods and the clinical findings was investigated. High-dose methylprednisolone treatment was administered to all newly diagnosed patients in the early period, and the clinical response was observed. Clinical, prognostic, and radiological comparisons with SCIWORA cases reported in the literature were conducted.

RESULTS: Seven patients received a diagnosis of cervical SCIWORA, and 4 patients had thoracal SCIWORA. Neurologic findings at the time of diagnosis and in the early and late periods vary independent of radiological findings. In the cases where significant neurologic recovery was not observed within the first 3 days, significant recovery also was not seen in the later period. In the cases where neurologic recovery was seen, improvements in sphincter function and sensory and motor deficits were observed.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients diagnosed with SCIWORA, early neurologic response is the determining factor for prognosis. Clinical findings and prognosis demonstrate no correlation with radiological findings.