Injury to central gray matter, corticospinal and spinothalamic tracts
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nonvascular Interventions
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Yelamarthy PKK et al: Management and prognosis of acute traumatic cervical central cord syndrome: systematic review and Spinal Cord Society-Spine Trauma Study Group position statement. Eur Spine J. 28(10):2390-407, 2019
Hashmi SZ et al: Current concepts: central cord syndrome. Clin Spine Surg. 31(10):407-12, 2018
Wagner PJ et al: Controversies in the management of central cord syndrome: the state of the art. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 100(7):618-26, 2018
Brooks NP: Central cord syndrome. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 28(1):41-7, 2017
Aarabi B et al: Management of acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS). Neurosurgery. 72 Suppl 2:195-204, 2013
Fehlings MG et al: Current practice in the timing of surgical intervention in spinal cord injury. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 35(21 Suppl):S166-73, 2010
Chen L et al: Effectiveness of surgical treatment for traumatic central cord syndrome. J Neurosurg Spine. 10(1):3-8, 2009
Harrop JS et al: Central cord injury: pathophysiology, management, and outcomes. Spine J. 6(6 Suppl):198S-206S, 2006
Uribe J et al: Acute traumatic central cord syndrome--experience using surgical decompression with open-door expansile cervical laminoplasty. Surg Neurol. 63(6):505-10; discussion 510, 2005
Collignon F et al: Acute traumatic central cord syndrome: magnetic resonance imaging and clinical observations. J Neurosurg. 96(1 Suppl):29-33, 2002
Guest J et al: Traumatic central cord syndrome: results of surgical management. J Neurosurg. 97(1 Suppl):25-32, 2002
Hendey GW et al: Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality: results of the National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study in blunt cervical trauma. J Trauma. 53(1):1-4, 2002
Dai L: Magnetic resonance imaging of acute central cord syndrome: correlation with prognosis. Chin Med Sci J. 16(2):107-10, 2001
Jimenez O et al: A histopathological analysis of the human cervical spinal cord in patients with acute traumatic central cord syndrome. Spinal Cord. 38(9):532-7, 2000
Kothari P et al: Injury to the spinal cord without radiological abnormality (SCIWORA) in adults. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 82(7):1034-7, 2000
Newey ML et al: The long-term outcome after central cord syndrome: a study of the natural history. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 82(6):851-5, 2000
An HS: Cervical spine trauma. Spine. 23(24):2713-29, 1998
Chen TY et al: Efficacy of surgical treatment in traumatic central cord syndrome. Surg Neurol. 48(5):435-40; discussion 441, 1997
Massaro F et al: Acute traumatic central cord syndrome. Acta Neurol (Napoli). 15(2):97-105, 1993
Martin D et al: MRI-pathological correlations in acute traumatic central cord syndrome: case report. Neuroradiology. 34(4):262-6, 1992
Quencer RM et al: Acute traumatic central cord syndrome: MRI-pathological correlations. Neuroradiology. 34(2):85-94, 1992
Riviello JJ Jr et al: Delayed cervical central cord syndrome after trivial trauma. Pediatr Emerg Care. 6(2):113-7, 1990
Fox JL et al: Central spinal cord injury: magnetic resonance imaging confirmation and operative considerations. Neurosurgery. 22(2):340-7, 1988
Merriam WF et al: A reappraisal of acute traumatic central cord syndrome. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 68(5):708-13, 1986
Torg JS et al: Neurapraxia of the cervical spinal cord with transient quadriplegia. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 68(9):1354-70, 1986
Related Anatomy
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Related Differential Diagnoses
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Pathology
Clinical Issues
TERMINOLOGY
Abbreviations
Central cord syndrome (CCS)
Synonyms
Partial cord syndrome (subset of)
Definitions
Most common partial cord syndrome
Traumatic cord injury with clinical syndrome of
Bilateral weakness, arms > legs
Bladder dysfunction
Variable sensory loss
Injury to central gray matter, corticospinal and spinothalamic tracts
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nonvascular Interventions
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Yelamarthy PKK et al: Management and prognosis of acute traumatic cervical central cord syndrome: systematic review and Spinal Cord Society-Spine Trauma Study Group position statement. Eur Spine J. 28(10):2390-407, 2019
Hashmi SZ et al: Current concepts: central cord syndrome. Clin Spine Surg. 31(10):407-12, 2018
Wagner PJ et al: Controversies in the management of central cord syndrome: the state of the art. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 100(7):618-26, 2018
Brooks NP: Central cord syndrome. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 28(1):41-7, 2017
Aarabi B et al: Management of acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS). Neurosurgery. 72 Suppl 2:195-204, 2013
Fehlings MG et al: Current practice in the timing of surgical intervention in spinal cord injury. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 35(21 Suppl):S166-73, 2010
Chen L et al: Effectiveness of surgical treatment for traumatic central cord syndrome. J Neurosurg Spine. 10(1):3-8, 2009
Harrop JS et al: Central cord injury: pathophysiology, management, and outcomes. Spine J. 6(6 Suppl):198S-206S, 2006
Uribe J et al: Acute traumatic central cord syndrome--experience using surgical decompression with open-door expansile cervical laminoplasty. Surg Neurol. 63(6):505-10; discussion 510, 2005
Collignon F et al: Acute traumatic central cord syndrome: magnetic resonance imaging and clinical observations. J Neurosurg. 96(1 Suppl):29-33, 2002
Guest J et al: Traumatic central cord syndrome: results of surgical management. J Neurosurg. 97(1 Suppl):25-32, 2002
Hendey GW et al: Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality: results of the National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study in blunt cervical trauma. J Trauma. 53(1):1-4, 2002
Dai L: Magnetic resonance imaging of acute central cord syndrome: correlation with prognosis. Chin Med Sci J. 16(2):107-10, 2001
Jimenez O et al: A histopathological analysis of the human cervical spinal cord in patients with acute traumatic central cord syndrome. Spinal Cord. 38(9):532-7, 2000
Kothari P et al: Injury to the spinal cord without radiological abnormality (SCIWORA) in adults. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 82(7):1034-7, 2000
Newey ML et al: The long-term outcome after central cord syndrome: a study of the natural history. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 82(6):851-5, 2000
An HS: Cervical spine trauma. Spine. 23(24):2713-29, 1998
Chen TY et al: Efficacy of surgical treatment in traumatic central cord syndrome. Surg Neurol. 48(5):435-40; discussion 441, 1997
Massaro F et al: Acute traumatic central cord syndrome. Acta Neurol (Napoli). 15(2):97-105, 1993
Martin D et al: MRI-pathological correlations in acute traumatic central cord syndrome: case report. Neuroradiology. 34(4):262-6, 1992
Quencer RM et al: Acute traumatic central cord syndrome: MRI-pathological correlations. Neuroradiology. 34(2):85-94, 1992
Riviello JJ Jr et al: Delayed cervical central cord syndrome after trivial trauma. Pediatr Emerg Care. 6(2):113-7, 1990