Development and validation of an MRI-Based nomogram for predicting neurological recovery after acute cervical spinal cord injury
摘要
Retrospective cohort study.
ObjectivesAcute cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) leads to severe and variable neurological outcomes. Early, accurate prognosis is crucial for clinical decisions and patient counseling. This study aimed to identify key prognostic factors and develop a reliable, imaging-based nomogram for predicting neurological recovery after surgical treatment.
SettingNorthern Jiangsu People’s Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
MethodsIn a retrospective cohort of 103 surgically treated acute traumatic CSCI patients, neurological recovery was defined as ≥1 grade improvement on the ASIA Impairment Scale at 6 months. We analyzed clinical variables and MRI parameters: intramedullary edema length (IEL), intramedullary hemorrhage length (IHL), and maximum spinal cord compression (MSCC). Independent predictors were identified via multivariate logistic regression. A nomogram was built and internally validated using the C-index, calibration curves, ROC analysis, and DCA.
ResultsNeurological recovery occurred in 73 patients (70.9%). Multivariate analysis identified IEL (OR = 0.904), IHL (OR = 0.808), and MSCC (OR = 0.812) as independent predictors (all p < 0.05). IEL showed a threshold effect at 48 mm, beyond which recovery probability declined markedly. The nomogram demonstrated excellent predictive performance, with C-indices of 0.969 (modeling) and 0.936 (validation). ROC and DCA confirmed its superior accuracy and clinical utility over single parameters.
ConclusionsIEL, IHL, and MSCC are key imaging-based predictors of recovery after acute CSCI. The developed nomogram provides an accurate, practical tool for individualized prognosis, supporting precision clinical management.