Diagnostic and Prognostic Relevance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Electrophysiological Findings in Acute Spinal Ischemia

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a useful tool to confirm acute spinal ischemia suspected in patients within the first days after symptom onset. Poor outcome was associated with severe electrophysiological abnormalities in MEPs and SSEPs. Normal MEPs were significantly predictive of an excellent prognosis. A multimodal diagnostic approach combining DWI and electrophysiological evaluation facilitates the prediction of the individual clinical outcome.