Assessing Cervical Spine Injury Risk and Acute Spinal Cord Injury Prognosis Following Minor Trauma

Background and Objective: Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) following minor trauma to the cervical spine is a rare but serious condition that can occur even in individuals with no history of neurological symptoms. This unexpected vulnerability is often attributed to underlying spinal canal stenosis, which can predispose the spinal cord to damage despite the low intensity of the trauma. Identifying patients at risk and understanding the relationship between cervical spine anatomy and injury severity is critical for early diagnosis and prevention. The objective of this study was to investigate MRI parameters of the cervical spine in patients suffering from acute SCI and to investigate the use of these parameters for predicting the risk and severity of acute cervical SCI after a minor trauma to the cervical spine. Material and Methods: A retrospective radiological study was conducted at a Medical College and Research Institute, involving forty patients diagnosed with acute cervical SCI and following minor cervical spine trauma. Measurements from MRI scans were used to calculate the spinal canal-to-vertebral body ratio, the space available for the cord, and the canal-to-cord ratio. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 21). Results: All MRI parameters examined in the SCI group were found to be significantly smaller (p < 0.01) compared to the control group. However, no significant differences were observed in these parameters across the various American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment score groups. Conclusion: The risk of acute SCI following minor trauma to the cervical spine can be assessed by using a disc-level canal diameter cut-off value obtained from MRI scans. Moreover, the severity of acute SCI is influenced not only by the radiological characteristics of the spinal canal but also by other contributing factors.