Objective To observe the CT and MRI findings of patients with spinal trauma and to compare the diagnostic value. Methods The CT and MRI data of 60 patients with spinal trauma who were admitted into our hospital between April 2013 and January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The CT and MRI findings were observed. The detection results of spinal fractures, bone pieces and ligament injury, etc. were compared between the two. Results CT showed that 56 cases (93.3%) were with spinal fractures, manifesting as vertebral deformation or vertebral wedge compression; MRI showed that 60 cases (100.0%) were with spinal fractures, showing low or equal signal on T1WI in vertebral body and high signal on T2WI. The detection rate of MRI in spinal fractures was significantly higher than CT (P<0.05). CT displayed 176 bone pieces. Compared with 121 pieces displayed by MRI, there was significant differences (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in display rates in change of spinal curvature, change of spinal canal volume, nerve root injury and paravertebral soft tissue injury between CT and MRI (P>0.05). The detection rate of MRI in ligament injury (68.3%0 was significantly higher than that of CT (10.0%) (P<0.05). Conclusion CT has more advantages in displaying bone pieces of spinal trauma over MRI, while MRI has more advantages in displaying spinal fracture and ligament injury over CT. They have their own advantages and disadvantages. They can be chosen according to patient's condition.