Objective      To observe the lesions of anterior spinal artery in patients after spinal cord injury

and investigate the relations among lesions of anterior spinal artery

neurological symptoms

and prognosis.       Methods      From Jan 2008 to August 2011

angiography of anterior spinal artery was performed with 64 slices spiral CT in 18 spinal cord injured patients

and the obtained images were processed by ADW 4.3 software. The relations between anterior spinal artery and the surrounding structures were investigated by using double oblique multi-planer reformation technique. In 5 to 10 d after injury

13 cases underwent anterior route cervical discectomy and internal fixation

and the other 5 cases had no operation. The mean follow-up time was 11 months.       Results      Except 1 case of knife trauma

all cervical anterior spinal arteries were developed in the 17 cases. In some cases

cervical anterior radicular arteries were developed

while the development of central anterior spinal artery was not observed in those cases. No recovery of the neurological symptoms was observed in patients with anterior spinal artery lesion after 13 moths of follow-up

while the recoveries of the neurological symptoms in those 17 cases were different.       Conclusion      Multi-slice spiral CT angiography of anterior spinal artery is an effective way to evaluate the lesions of anterior spinal artery in patients with spinal cord injury. Anterior spinal artery is not vulnerable in spinal cord injury. There is no direct relations among the clinical manifestation

the neurological symptoms and prognosis

and the lesions of anterior spinal artery.