The misapplication of the term spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) in adults

Abstract

Epidemiologic study, level III.

Spinal cord injury without radiologic abnormality in children

“…Combining it with other established classification tools for the assessment of intraneural MRI injury pattern might further improve its prognostic value. 8,49 While the role of preexisting degenerative changes in adult patients with SCIWORA is a matter of debate, 3,4,8 it is unusual in children. In our literature analysis, no such changes were identified.…”

Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) in adults: MRI type predicts early neurologic outcome

“…In contrast to children with SCIWORA, degenerative changes of the spine and subsequent stenosis to the spinal channel are frequently found in adults presenting with a clinico-radiological mismatch. 19 Importantly, pre-existing spinal stenosis has been proposed to be a risk factor for the development of SCI 9,20,21 and SCIWORA. 4 In the analysed population, the detection of extramedullary abnormalities (type II) was associated with an inferior outcome when compared with patients without extramedullary abnormalities.…”

Non-locality and the misdiagnosis of Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality: proof of concept

“…As a point of final clarification, there are a myriad of terms which have emerged around SCIWORA, including SCIWORET (SCI without radiographic evidence of trauma), SCIWOCTET (SCI without CT evidence of trauma) and SCIWONA which are variably applied to pediatric and adult patients [2,27,28]. These terms appear misguided when applied to the explanation for a SCI.…”