Spinal Cord Injury without Radiographic Abnormality�(SCIWORA) is a term that denotes objective clinical signs of post traumatic\nspinal cord injury without evidence of fracture or malalignment on plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) of the spine.\nSCIWORA is most commonly seen in children with a predilection for the cervical spinal cord due to the increased mobility of the\ncervical spine, the inherent ligamentous laxity, and the large head-to-body ratio during childhood. However, SCIWORA can also\nbe seen in adults and, in rare cases, the thoracolumbar spinal cord can be aected too. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has\nbecome a valuable diagnostic tool in patients with SCIWORA because of its superior ability to identify soft tissue lesions such as\ncord edema, hematomas and transections, and discoligamentous injuries that may not be visualized in plain radiographs and CT.\nthe mainstay of treatment in patients with SCIWORA is nonoperative management including steroid therapy, immobilization, and\navoidance of activities that may increase the risk of exacerbation or recurrent injury. Although the role of operative treatment in\nSCIWORA can be controversial, surgical alternatives such as decompression and fusion should be considered in selected patients\nwith clinical and MRI evidence of persistent spinal cord compression and instability.
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