SCIWORA stands for which of the following?

• A. Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality
• B. Spinal Cord Injury With Radiographic Abnormality
• C. Spinal Cord Injury Without Anatomical Abnormalities
• D. Spinal Cord Injury With No Radiographic Assessment

Answer: (A)

The statement being tested is what the acronym SCIWORA stands for and what it implies about imaging. SCIWORA means Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality. This describes a situation where a patient has a spinal cord injury, evidenced by neurological deficits, but plain radiographs (X-rays) appear normal. The key idea is the absence of abnormal findings on radiography, not the absence of injury.

This is why the correct interpretation fits best: there is real spinal cord injury even though X-rays show no abnormality. The other options don’t fit because they either imply there is an abnormal radiograph, or they suggest no spinal cord injury, or they imply imaging wasn’t done. In modern practice, MRI may reveal occult injuries not seen on X-ray, which is why SCIWORA is a helpful historical term, especially in pediatrics.