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Anterior spinal artery stroke demonstrated by echo-planar DWI
1Department of Neuroradiology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
European Radiology
|December 6, 2001
Summary
Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) can now detect spinal ischemia. This technique shows decreased diffusion in spinal stroke, aiding diagnosis despite imaging artifacts.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) is established for cerebral ischemia.
- The utility of DWI for spinal ischemia requires further validation.
Observation:
- A patient presented with postoperative paraparesis.
- Emergency spinal MRI with echo-planar DWI was performed.
Findings:
- The MRI revealed hyperintensity indicating reduced diffusion.
- Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) confirmed the diffusion decrease.
- Follow-up imaging verified spinal stroke.
Implications:
- Spinal echo-planar DWI can identify ischemic changes.
- This technique may help manage suspected spinal ischemia.
- Overcoming echo-planar artifacts is key for clinical utility.