The Restless Spinal Cord in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Radiology
• Biomarkers

Background:

• The spinal cord experiences periodic, cardiac-related movement.
• Cervical stenosis exacerbates spinal cord oscillations, potentially causing damage.
• Motion analysis is a promising biomarker for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize cervical spinal cord motion in patients with DCM.
• To investigate the relationship between spinal cord motion and cervical stenosis.

Main Methods:

• Phase-contrast MRI data analyzed in 55 DCM patients and 18 controls.
• Evaluated spinal cord displacement and motion patterns.
• Motion data were pooled segmentally for group comparisons.

Main Results:

• Mean craniocaudal oscillations were significantly increased in DCM patients at and beyond stenosis levels (e.g., C5 displacement: patients 1.86 mm vs. controls 0.54 mm, P<.001).
• Increased motion at C2 correlated with distance to and number of stenotic segments.
• Most patients displayed continuous spinal cord motion throughout the cardiac cycle.

Conclusions:

• DCM patients exhibit altered spinal cord motion, with increased oscillations at and beyond stenosis.
• Phase-contrast MRI shows potential as a biomarker for mechanical stress and predicting disease progression.
• This technique may aid in assessing the impact of surgical interventions for DCM.