Correlation of MR Imaging and Clinical Results in Central Spinal Cord Injury

We studied the MRI findings and results of conservative treatment in 8 patients with central spinal cord injury. Function was categorised according to the classification by Usui et al., the clinical results to Nisseikai's criteria for cervical myelopathy (JOA) and the improvement rate in accordance with the Hirabayashi method.The injuries were classifed as the following types: upper limb in 5, Schneider in 1 and incomplete transverse in 2. Although MRI did not show changes in the upper limb type, it revealed spinal cord compression and intramedullary signal changes in the other patients.The presence or absence of intramedullary signal changes and the range of the area correlated with clinical results and prognosis. We believe that it is difficult to improve the symptoms and prognosis is unfavorable in patients in whom MRI reveals strong intramedullary changes.