Reliability of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing posterior ligament complex injury in thoracolumbar fractures.
- Author:
Tao ZHANG
1
;
Shi-Qing FENG
;
Wen-Xue JIANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adult; Female; Humans; Joint Capsule; injuries; Ligaments, Articular; injuries; Lumbar Vertebrae; injuries; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Soft Tissue Injuries; diagnosis; Spinal Fractures; complications; Thoracic Vertebrae; injuries
- From: Chinese Journal of Surgery 2008;46(16):1241-1244
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo analyze the reliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting posterior ligament complex injury in thoracolumbar fractures.
METHODSNinety-five patients with thoracolumbar fracture were evaluated by palpation of the inter-spinal gap, plain radiography, and MRI before operation. In addition to conventional MRI sequences, a fat-suppressed T2-weighted sagittal sequence was performed. Surgery was performed by a posterior approach. During the operation, posterior ligament complex was examined.
RESULTSA wide inter-spinal gap was palpated in 41 patients and was found in 55 patients on plain radiography. According to MRI, injury to the supraspinal ligament was suspected in 85 patients, the inter-spinal ligament in 83 patients, and the ligamentum flavum in 26 patients. There were 82 supraspinal ligament injuries, 80 inter-spinal ligament injuries, and 20 ligamentum flavum injuries in operative findings. The relations between plain radiography and operative findings, between MRI interpretation and operative findings were statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONA fat-suppressed T2-weighted sagittal sequence of MRI is a highly sensitive, specific, and accurate method to detect posterior ligament complex injury and which is recommended for the accurate evaluation of posterior ligament complex injury in thoracolumbar fractures.