Ces radiol. 2008, 62(2):203-209

A value of multidetector-row computed tomography in imaging of seat-belt spinal injuriesOriginal article

Jiří Ferda¹, Milan Novák¹, Roman Bosman², Boris Kreuzberg¹

¹ Radiodiagnostická klinika LF UK a FN, Plzeň

² Anesteziologicko-resuscitační klinika - Emergency LF UK a FN, Plzeň

Aim: Increasing incidence of traffic accidents is followed by the increasing number of the seat-belt injuries. The aim of the presented work is to show the characteristics of the spinal seat-belt injuries and to evaluate the value of the multi-detector-row computed tomography in detection and characterization of them.

Method: A total number of 7 patients with spinal seat-belt injuries underwent multi-detector-row CT during a period of 5 years (January 2003 - December 2007), they were 4 males and 3 females with mean age 30.1 years and range 17 - 48 years. Imaging protocol with sub-millimeter isotropic spatial resolution was used in all cases.

Results: The majority of the injuries were localized in the level of the first lumbar vertebra (6 cases). The paraplegia occurred only in two of all seven cases, the trans-discal injury was present in both of them, in other patients was present no neurological deficit.

Conclusion: Even the spinal seat-belt injury is relatively rare; the severe neurological deficit could occur, especially when the inter-vertebral disc is injured. Multi-detector-row CT allows the excellence in imaging of the injured spinal skeleton. If the sub-millimeter spatial resolution is used, the imaging with multi-detector-row CT could be used first and definitive imaging tool.

Keywords: multi-detector-row computed tomography, spinal injury, seat-belt injury

Grants and funding:

Práce byla podpořena výzkumným záměrem MSM 0021620819.

Accepted: December 20, 2007; Published: June 1, 2008  Show citation