Spinal Cord Injury without Radiographic Abnormality (SCIWORA): a case report and literature review

Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWO-RA) is a rare post-traumatic myelopathy, more frequently seen in paediatric population and elderly. Clinical manifestation can range from transient isolated paraesthesia to quadriplegia. Due to its rar-ity in adults and the broad spectrum of neurological manifesta-tions, SCIWORA actually represents a challenge for emergency physicians. Early diagnosis and timely intervention are crucial for the patient's prognosis avoiding permanent neurological deficits. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis, management and prognosis of SCIWORA, being the golden standard technique to identify spinal cord injuries. To high-light the importance of in-depth neurological examination and early diagnosis of SCIWORA, we describe the case of a 53-year -old woman who presented to our emergency department following a forward fall down the stairs with a minor head injury.