Citation

Alektoroff K, Papanagiotou P. Radiologe 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00117-021-00877-5

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Whiplash injury is a common trauma of the cervical spine which usually occurs during motor vehicle accidents, especially involving rear-end collisions. The trauma typically results from a sudden biphasic movement of the head and cervical spine (reclination followed by inclination), which may cause an injury of bony, muscular and ligamentous elements. The most common symptoms of whiplash injury are pain, stiffness and tenderness of the neck, which occur with a latency of several hours and may become chronic in some patients. The imaging studies rarely demonstrate morphological changes associated with trauma and there are also no specific imaging findings in whiplash injuries. Plain films and computed tomography are used in acute trauma workup to exclude bony injuries. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may demonstrate occult fractures, bone contusions as well as muscular and ligamentous posttraumatic lesions. The whiplash injuries are classified clinically according to Quebec Task Force-Grading, depending on the symptom severity.

Language: de

Keywords

Trauma; Computed tomography; Magnetic resonance imaging; Motor vehicle accident; Quebec Task Force