MRI and neurology in acute whiplash trauma. No correlation in prospective examination of 39 cases.

39 consecutive cases of whiplash injury of the neck were examined clinically and with MRI at a mean of 11 days after trauma. 26 of these showed changes on MRI with disc lesions in 25, 10 of which were classified as disc herniations, and a muscle lesion in 1 case. All had neck pain or headache. 29 cases had neurological deficits, mostly sensibility disturbances. 22 of the 26 cases with pathologic MRI findings had neurological signs, as had 7 of the 10 cases with disc herniation. The relationship between the MRI findings and the clinical symptoms and signs was poor.