Evaluation Of Mri In The Assessment Of Epidural Hematoma, Spinal Cord Transection And Soft Tissues Injury In Spinal Trauma

Abstract

Introduction: Spinal trauma can cause spinal cord injury (SCI) leading to severe neurological deficits, requiring early diagnosis. MRI is the gold standard for assessing spinal cord and soft tissue injuries, though its use is limited by availability and lack of standard protocols.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic effectiveness of MRI in detecting epidural hematoma, spinal cord transection, and soft tissue injuries in spinal trauma patients.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at DHQ Gujranwala over 4 months with a sample of 60 patients selected through non-probability sampling. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 and Excel 2016. Descriptive statistics frequencies, percentages, mean ± SD were applied, while Chi-square and t-tests assessed associations, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Results: Out of 60 cases, males were 53.3%, with most injuries from non-specific causes (71.7%) and lumbar involvement (55.0%). Pain (60%) was significantly linked to injury level (p = 0.002), and paralysis (21.7%) was associated with key MRI findings (p ≤ 0.020). Mode of injury correlated with major abnormalities (p < 0.05). MRI showed high specificity for epidural hematoma (94.3%) and cord transection (90.6%), but low sensitivity for soft tissue injury (20.0%).

Conclusion: MRI is a highly specific and reliable imaging tool in spinal trauma, particularly effective for ruling out epidural hematoma and correlating with neurological deficits such as paralysis. Overall, it plays a key role in accurate diagnosis, management, and outcome prediction, while age and gender are not significant predictors of spinal cord injury.