Imaging in the Setting of Thoracolumbar Trauma: The Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Diagnose Injury to the Posterior Ligamentous Complex

There is renewed recognition of the importance of the posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) in assessing the stability of anterior column thoracolumbar injuries. The development of the thoracolumbar injury severity score and the subsequent thoracolumbar injury classification and scoring system has placed additional emphasis on accurately assessing the integrity of the PLC. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging is frequently used to assess the soft tissue structures, but current literature does not support the use of MRI findings in isolation to exclude injury. MRI should be used in concert with plan film and computed tomography findings and clinical signs and symptoms when evaluating for PLC injury.