Role of MRI in Post Traumatic Stable Vertebral Fracture to Diagnose Spinal Injury – A Cross Sectional Study

Vertebral fracture can be caused by direct or indirect trauma and are more likely to occur in patients with decreased bone density (osteoporosis, bony metastases). It aimed of studying characteristic imaging findings, to evaluate the role of MRI in patients with post traumatic stable vertebral fracture. All patients with history of post trauma were subjected to go for MRI examination. As MRI is the investigation of choice for soft tissue and spinal cord injuries. To ascertain the role of MRI in diagnosis of the spinal cord injury in cases of post traumatic stable vertebral fracture. It is a Hospital based Cross sectional study. A total of 119 Cases of spinal trauma who underwent MRI of the spine are included in the study. The Study was conducted in department of radiology over the duration of 18 months. All detailed history of patients was taken. The study has been done using 1.5 TESLA Siemens. Out of 119 cases, majority of the cases were >60 yr with male predominance. Blunt trauma [45 cases (37.8%)] was most common cause of injury among the cases and cervical spine [14 cases (28%)] was most common sites. MRI findings helped in detecting in spinal cord injury and soft tissue injury [50 cases (42%)]. Most common MRI findings were spinal canal Stenosis [73 cases (61.3%)], marrow edema [51 cases (42.9%)], spinal cord injury [50 cases (40.0%)], pre & paravertebral collection [14 cases (11.8%)], and IVD injury [5 cases (4.2%)]. Being a non- invasive procedure with high specificity and sensitivity, MRI is a preferred diagnostic tool to assess spinal cord injuries