Subaxial cervical spine injury classification
The subaxial cervical spine injury classification (SLIC) system is a severity score for cervical spine trauma that helps in determining treatment and prognosis.
Classification
Injury morphology
- no abnormality: 0 points
- simple compression fracture: 1 point
- burst fracture: 2 points
- distraction (e.g. perched facet joint, hyperextension cervical injuries): 3 points
- rotation/translation (e.g. facet dislocation, unstable teardrop or advanced flexion compression injury): 4 points
Discoligamentous complex
- intact: 0 points
- indeterminate (e.g. isolated interspinous widening, MRI signal change only): 1 point
- disrupted (e.g. disc space widening, facet perch or dislocation): 2 points
Neurological status
- intact: 0 points
- root injury: 1 point
- complete cord injury: 2 points
- incomplete cord injury: 3 points
- incomplete with ongoing cord compression: 4 points
Treatment
- ≤3 points: nonsurgical
- 4 points: indeterminate
- ≥5 points: surgical
