Following acute and severe trauma of the cervical spine 28 patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fracture or dislocation had been diagnosed by computed tomograpy (CT) or plain films in 16 patients whereas in 12 patients no bone injury had been detected. MRI revealed discoligamental injury in 12/16 patients with fracture and in 7/12 of the patients without fracture. MRI was considered to be necessary in 6/12 patients who underwent surgery in the first group and in 5/7 patients with surgery of the second group.
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