SynthesisEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2025
Computed tomography versus magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine in the spinal clearance of trauma patients: a systematic review and meta-analyses.
Synthesis in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Cervical Collar in Adult Trauma: Evidence, Controversies, and Clinical Decision-Making.Orthopedic research and reviews · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purpose(1) Assess the proportion of trauma patients with missed cervical spine injuries that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identifies after a negative computed tomography (CT); (2) Perform subgroup analyses based on age and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on presentation; (3) Evaluate treatment changes due to MRI findings.
methodsThis systematic review and meta-analyses was conducted with reference to the PRISMA guidelines. We included studies investigating cervical spine clearance in trauma patients using CT and MRI. Outcomes of interest included the number of injuries each modality identified, and the number of treatment changes prompted by MRI findings. Outcomes were expressed as proportions and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). This study is registered with PROSPERO at CRD42023490354.
resultsThirty-six studies involving 6784 patients were analysed. MRI identified missed injuries in 17% of patients following a negative CT (Proportions 0.17, 95% CI 0.12-0.23). Subgroup analyses showed that paediatrics (Proportions 0.32, 95% CI 0.13-0.58) were at higher risk of missed injuries than adults (Proportions 0.13, 95% CI 0.05-0.27), and that alert patients (Proportions 0.28, 95% CI 0.13-0.48) were at higher risk of missed injuries than obtunded patients (Proportions 0.14, 95% CI 0.08-0.23). Clinically significant injuries identified on MRI prompted treatment changes in 4% of patients (Proportions 0.04, 95% CI 0.02-0.07).
conclusionTrauma patients with a negative CT cervical spine had a 17% chance of missed injuries if MRI cervical spine was not performed, with paediatric and alert patients having a higher risk. These missed injuries can lead to potential morbidity and mortality if left untreated.
Indexed as
Identifiers
40407903What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.