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Relationship between cervical spinal cord morphometry and clinical disability in patients with multiple sclerosis
Nihal Gurlek Celik1, Ahmet Kagan Karabulut2, Zeliha Fazliogullari2
1Amasya University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy - Amasya, Turkey.
Revista Da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992)
|November 16, 2023
Summary
Cervical spinal cord atrophy is linked to increased clinical disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Reduced spinal cord area correlates with higher Expanded Disability Status Scale scores in MS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Radiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease impacting the central nervous system.
- The cervical spinal cord is frequently affected in MS, leading to neurological deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between cervical spinal cord atrophy and clinical disability in MS patients.
- To quantify cervical spinal cord dimensions in MS and compare them to healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to assess cervical spinal cord cross-sectional area in 64 MS patients and 64 controls.
- Measurements included axial surface areas at C2-3, C3-4, C4-5, C5-6, and C6-7 levels.
Main Results:
- MS patients exhibited significantly lower cervical spinal cord surface areas at C2-3, C3-4, C4-5, and C6-7 compared to controls (p<0.05).
- A negative correlation was observed between Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores and cervical spinal cord atrophy at C4-5, C5-6, and C6-7 levels (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
- Cervical spinal cord atrophy is a measurable characteristic of MS.
- The degree of cervical spinal cord atrophy is significantly associated with greater clinical disability, as indicated by higher EDSS scores in MS patients.
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