International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, ISSN: 2051-5731, Vol.46, Issue. 4 1379 © RECENT SCIENCE PUBLICATIONS ARCHIVES| November 2013|$25.00 | 27702752 | *This article is authorized for use only by Recent Science Journal Authors, Subscribers and Partnering Institutions* Relationship between MRI Findings and Treatment Outcomes in Spinal Cord Injury Victims Ochie K. Department of Medical Radiography and Radiological Sciences, Faculty of Health Science and Technology University of Nigeria Enugu Campus Enugu State, Nigeria Okpala O.C. Radiology Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Anambra State Ohagwu C.C. Department of Radiography/Radiological Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology Nnamdi Azikiwe University Nnewi Campus Nnewi, Nigeria Eze C.U. Department of Radiation Biology, Radiotherapy, Radio diagnosis and Radiography College of Medicine University of Lagos, Nigeria Corresponding Author E mail: mature_ohagwu@yahoo.ie ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: MRI is the medical imaging modality of choice in spinal cord injury because of its use in deciding the prognosis of the injury. This is because it is thought that MRI-detectable lesions have correlation with neurological outcome of the patient. AIM: To investigate the relationship between MRI findings in spinal cord injury and treatment outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective evaluation of MRI findings, neurological classification and treatment outcomes of 90 patients with spinal cord injury who presented at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria from 2006 to 2012 was carried out. The hospital records and documentations of MRI findings were retrieved from the medical records archive. RESULTS: The pre-treatment neurological classification according to ASIA scale shows that majority of the victims (53.3%, n = 48) were in very poor neurological state (ASIA A) while only 4.4% (n = 4) had no neurological signs (ASIA E). ASIA A and B groups have haemorrhage and haemorrhage with cord oedema as the main findings while ASIA C and D groups have only cord oedema. ASIA E group neither haemorrhage nor cord oedema. Patients with the severest neurological problem (ASIA A group) had a total of 48 (53.3%); 20 (22.2%) of who had haemorrhage only and 24 (26.7%) had both haemorrhage and cord oedema. Only 4 (4.4%) who had haemorrhage only showed incomplete recovery while the rest did not recover at all and another 4 (4.4%) who had both haemorrhage and cord oedema showed incomplete recovery while the rest did not recover. The patients classified as ASIA B had 20 (22.2%) patients. Six (6.7%) had haemorrhage only out of which 2 (2.2%) recovered fully and 4 (4.4%) did not recover at all. Twelve (13.3%) had cord oedema only at MRI and 8 (8.9%) of them recovered fully and 4 (4.4%) recovered incompletely. Two (2.2%) had both haemorrhage and oedema, and recovered incompletely. For ASIA C, there were 8 (8.9%) victims and they all had cord oedema only at MRI and all of them recovered completely. Also, ASIA D group had 10 (11.1%) who had cord oedema only at MRI and all recovered completely. For ASIA E group, there were 4 (4.4%) victims and they had cord oedema only at MRI and they all recovered fully. CONCLUSION: There was a significant reduction of neurological impairment which followed a pattern of not finding cord haemorrhage at MRI (p < 0.05). Prognosis of spinal cord injury depends on the nature of lesions seen at MRI and the modality should be used for its management wherever possible. Keywords-Spinal cord injury -MRI Findings -Treatment outcome 1. INTRODUCTION Spinal cord injury refers to trauma affecting the spinal cord directly or indirectly. When the injury is direct, there is a direct impact of traumatic force on the spinal cord which could result from automobile accident, gunshot, sport injury and industrial accident amongst others. In indirect injury, the trauma affects blood vessels, lymphatics, bones and other tissues around the spinal cord and indirectly affects it. Spinal cord injury is an important public health issue in Nigeria and many other countries. There is usually male gender preponderance of victims and this is quite serious from economic point of view. According to Howlett[1], spinal injury arises mostly from road traffic accidents (RTA) and falls, and is a major cause of death and disability in Africa. Males aged between 20 and 40 years are the main risk group affected. Nwadinigwe et al.[2] and Obalum et al.[3] in their respective studies in Nigeria reported that spinal cord injuries affect mostly young male adults with cervical spine injury predominating. Recovery from spinal cord injury is painfully slow. Often, the victim ends up with permanent disability and becomes a perpetual economic and social burden to his relations. Therefore, management of spinal cord injury is taken