Figure 2.

(A, B) A 23-year-old patient who suffers from a cervical spine injury due to a fall from a platform. The patient exhibited muscle weakness in the upper extremities and severe neck pain on physical examination. There were no bony abnormalities on x-rays or CT scans. MR images revealed a large hyperintense lesion in the cervical spine corresponding to edema of the cervical spinal cord. A focal signal drop out can be seen in the center of the lesion (a region of hyperacute hematoma). Chronic hematoma would give a similar appearance, except for the presence of spinal edema.