University of Maryland School of Medicine logo
Emergency Medicine
All Departments
UMSOM Assistant
UMEM Educational Pearls
  • Home
  • Departments
  • Emergency Medicine
  • CME
  • UMEM Educational Pearls
  • CME
  • Courses and Conferences
  • Free Open Access Medical Education
  • UMEM Educational Pearls

Search

Title: SCIWORA

Category: Pediatrics

Keywords: SCIWORA, Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality, MRI, steroids (PubMed Search)

Posted: 7/8/2007 by Sean Fox, MD (Updated: 7/21/2026)

SCIWORA (Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality) Children <8yrs old can have their spinal cord stretched up to 5cm before rupture. Their cervical spinal columns are more mobile and held together with less stable ligaments allowing for horizontal movement of the vertebrae. The mobility of the spinal column allows for spontaneous reduction of subluxated vertebrae; therefore, CTs and plain radiographs will often appear normal at the time of ED evaluation. Any child with neurologic deficits or a concerning mechanism of injury deserves an MRI to evaluated for SCIWORA. No studies of the utility of steroids in children with spinal cord injury exist; current recommendations are to reserve methylprednisolone for those children who present with persistent or progressive neurologic deficits.
University of Maryland School of Medicine logo
  • Departments
  • Programs
  • Research Centers
  • Institutes
  • Graduate Education
  • CIBR Cores
  • Offices of the Dean
    • University of Maryland, Baltimore
    • University of Maryland Medical Center
    • Medical Alumni Association of the University of Maryland
    • Health Sciences and Human Services Library
University of Maryland School of Medicine
655 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Contact Us

© University of Maryland School of Medicine

    • Webmaster
    • Web Accessibility
    • Site Index
    • UMB Hotline
    • Employment
    • Map