Thoracic and lumbar spine trauma.
Journal Article (Journal Article;Review)
Complete thoracolumbar trauma evaluation incorporates radiographs, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Primarily to localize the level of injury, diagnosis of thoracolumbar spine trauma begins with radiographs. Computed tomography with sagittal reformatted images is more sensitive for identifying the full extent of injury and the degree of involvement of the bony posterior elements. Magnetic resonance imaging is used for evaluating the extent of soft tissue injury, including damage to ligaments, discs, and epidural spaces. Magnetic resonance imaging is most frequently performed when radiographs and computed tomography do not explain the patients' symptoms and when there is a possibility of epidural hematoma, traumatic disc herniation, or spinal cord injury.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Gray, L; Vandemark, R; Hays, M
Published Date
- April 2001
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 22 / 2
Start / End Page
- 125 - 134
PubMed ID
- 11327527
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0887-2171
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1016/s0887-2171(01)90040-x
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States