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Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Chronic Spinal Cord Compression
Published on: May 7, 2019
Diffusion tensor MR imaging in chronic spinal cord injury.
B M Ellingson1, J L Ulmer, S N Kurpad
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wis, USA.
AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|August 23, 2008
Summary
Diffusion tensor imaging reveals significant changes in the spinal cord even years after injury. These findings suggest diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can assess long-term spinal cord injury recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Spinal Cord Injury Research
- Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Background:
- Diffusion tensor MR imaging (DT-MRI) is increasingly used for brain injury assessment.
- Its application to spinal cord disorders is less established.
- Understanding chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) structural changes is crucial for recovery insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize diffusion properties of the entire human spinal cord in vivo during chronic SCI stages.
- To provide insights into structural changes from long-term recovery after spinal trauma.
Main Methods:
- Study included 13 neurologically intact subjects and 10 subjects with chronic SCI (>4 years postinjury).
- Used a single-shot twice-refocused spin-echo diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging sequence.
- Acquired axial images of the entire spinal cord (C1-L1) in under 60 minutes.
Main Results:
- Chronic SCI lesions showed significantly elevated diffusion characteristics compared to controls.
- Fractional anisotropy was lower in chronic lesions, dependent on injury completeness.
- Mean diffusivity was lower in the upper cervical spinal cord of SCI subjects, suggesting widespread effects.
Conclusions:
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) shows potential for assessing SCI recovery.
- Findings indicate the entire neuraxis may be affected by long-term spinal trauma recovery.
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