Redefining Pediatric SCIWORA: A Systematic Review of the Literature on Clinical Patterns, Imaging Profiles, and Management Insights

• Published in: Journal of clinical medicine Vol. 14; no. 17; p. 6338
• Main Authors: Palombi, Davide, Galeazzi, Marco, Brigato, Paolo, De Salvatore, Sergio, De Saint Denis, Timothée, Massimi, Luca, Tamburrini, Gianpiero, Oggiano, Leonardo
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 08.09.2025
• Subjects: Age; Care and treatment; Children; Contusions; Diagnosis; Diagnostic imaging; Edema; Epidemiology; Injuries; Magnetic resonance imaging; Methods; Pediatric research; Pediatrics; Spinal cord injuries; Systematic review; Trauma; Italy; pediatric trauma; SCIWORA; spinal cord
• ISSN: 2077-0383; 2077-0383
• DOI: 10.3390/jcm14176338

Objectives: Among the spectrum of spinal injuries, Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality (SCIWORA) occupies a unique and challenging position. SCIWORA presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to its broad clinical and radiological heterogeneity. While most children recover favorably with conservative treatment, a subset may require surgery based on imaging findings. The findings underscore the need for standardized diagnostic criteria, MRI-based classification systems, and evidence-based treatment algorithms to improve consistency in care and long-term neurological outcomes. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Embase databases was performed through June 2025 following PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies of pediatric SCIWORA (age < 18 years) reporting demographics, clinical and radiological features, management, and outcomes. Results: Sixty studies encompassing a total of 848 pediatric patients were included. The mean patient age was 9.33 years (±2.52), with a slight male predominance. The most common trauma mechanisms were road traffic accidents (40.3%), sports injuries (22%), and falls (18.8%). MRI findings were available in 399 cases: 46% had intraneural lesions (Type IIb), 39% showed no abnormality on MRI (Type I, or “real SCIWORA”), 9% had combined lesions (Type IIc), and 6% had extraneural abnormalities (Type IIa). Neurological severity at presentation was primarily ASIA Grade A (46.25%), but follow-up data showed substantial improvement, with ASIA E (normal function) increasing to 49.78%. Overall, 66.2% of patients experienced neurological improvement, while 33.8% remained stable. Conservative treatment was employed in 95.41% of cases. Only 4.59% underwent surgery, which was typically reserved for MRI-positive lesions demonstrating spinal instability or compression. Conclusions: Pediatric SCIWORA remains an uncommon but potentially devastating injury, with an outcome highly dependent on MRI findings and initial neurological status. This systematic review aims to clarify the contemporary understanding of pediatric SCIWORA, delineating “real” SCIWORA from other SCIWORA-like entities, and synthesizing the latest evidence regarding epidemiology, mechanisms, clinical presentation, MRI findings, and management in children.