In 2005 the TLICS was published. It allows a rapid assessment for injuries to the thoracolumbar spine and has been validated for use in children and adolescents (10,32,35,36)..
The TLICS
| Characteristic | Description | Points Assigned |
| Morphology | ||
| Compression | 1 | |
| Burst | 2 | |
| Rotation/Translation | 3 | |
| Distraction | 4 | |
| Disruption Posterior Ligamentous Elements | ||
| Intact | 0 | |
| Suspected | 2 | |
| Disruption | 3 | |
| Neurological Status | ||
| Intact | 0 | |
| Nerve root | 2 | |
| Cord, conus medullaris complete | 4 | |
| Cord, conus medullaris incomplete | 4 | |
| Cauda Equina | 3 |
- Nonsurgical management: Recommended when the sum of all categories is 0–3.
- Surgical management: Recommended when the sum of all categories is ≥4.
- Consideration of either intervention: Necessary when the total equals 4.