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Hochauflösende Magnetresonanztomographie beim Schleudertrauma: Wie beeinflusst sie das Therapiemanagement und welche Bedeutung hat sie für die Prävention?

English title Whiplash: New Aspects and Detailed MR Imaging with Therapeutic and Preventative Measures
Applicant Zimmermann Heinz
Number 104531
Funding scheme NRP 53 Musculoskeletal Health - Chronic Pain
Research institution Universitätsinstitut für Diagnostische, Interventionelle & Pädiatrische Radiologie Inselspital
Institution of higher education University of Berne - BE
Main discipline Diseases of Bones and Joints
Start/End 01.06.2005 - 31.03.2009
Approved amount 412'538.00
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All Disciplines (4)

Discipline
Diseases of Bones and Joints
Neurology, Psychiatry
Methods of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine
Accidents

Keywords (3)

whiplash; MRI; whiplash prevention

Lay Summary (English)

Lead
Lay summary
Whiplash: New Aspects and Detailed MR Imaging with Therapeutic and Preventative Measures

Background
Symptomatic whiplash associated injury after a motor vehicle accident, with the main symptom of neck pain, may become chronic (for more than 6 months) in10% to 20%, with major consequences to the health of the individual and a major burden to insurance companies and health care resources. There is an annual incidence for the entire Swiss population of 0.44 per 1000. Ten thousand motor vehicle accidents associated with neck pain or potential neck pain are documented annually in Switzerland costing Personal Liability Insurance companies 0.5 billion Swiss Franks annually. With 10,000 injuries per annum, a minimum of 10% progressing, giving 1,000 new Swiss people per annum with chronic disease, costing insurance companies on average, 0.5 million Franks per person.

Aim
The exact nature of the neck lesion caused by the whiplash injury and responsible for the patients’ pain is still unknown. Previous research on this topic shows quite clearly, that if any method is able to find the pathology of the neck structures, it would be high resolution MRI.
Based on more than a decade of our own research on radiological aspects of whiplash, our aim is to determine objective MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) features of whiplash in the acute and chronic phases which may allow earlier diagnosis of disease and alter therapy and patient outcome.
A multi-center (University Hospitals of Berne, Basel and Zuerich Balgrist) continuing study will investigate acute whiplash patients with MRI within the first 48 hours of injury, with follow-up at 3 and 6 months. Chronic patients will have an MRI, prior to diagnostic block of the nerves that supply the small joints of the neck. MRI will review all parts of the neck. Interdisciplinary clinical teams will investigate and follow the patients. Specialists are involved from Australia and USA, Prof. Nikolai Bogduk, Prof. Lynne S. Steinbach and Prof. Sharmilla Marjumdar.

Significance
We hope with our study results impact on the quality of life for whiplash patients as well as on the current financial situation in Switzerland regarding whiplash associated injury.
Direct link to Lay Summary Last update: 21.02.2013

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