Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Syringomyelia in Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Zhang, Chao; Chen, Kai; Han, Xiuxin; Fu, Jiayuanyuan; Douglas, Patricia; Morozova, Аnna; Abakumov, Maxim; Gubsky, Ilya L.; Li, Dejin; Guo, Jin; Zhang, Xuening; Wang, Guowen; Chekhonin, V. P.

doi:10.12659/msm.907955

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Many quantitative magnetic resonance (qMRI) techniques have been used to study the spinal cord (Lommers et al, 2021 ; Savini et al, 2021 ), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is one of the most commonly used research methods (McLachlin et al, 2021 ). DTI is a standard neuroscience technique that is more sensitive than conventional MRI in evaluating spinal cord injuries (Zhang et al, 2018 ), and it provides important information about structural integrity, including myelin formation, axon diameter, and fiber density (Kumar et al, 2021 ), which indirectly reflect the degree of degeneration and pathophysiological structural changes of the spinal cord in vivo . Previous studies found that conventional MRI did not show any abnormalities in the spinal cord, but DTI revealed reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in these patients, which indicated potential injury to the spinal cord (Lee et al, 2015 ; Shabani et al, 2020 ; Singh et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Degeneration of the Sensorimotor Tract in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Compensatory Structural Changes in the Brain

Chen

Wang

et al. 2022

Front. Aging Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Degenerative cervical myelopathy is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, that has become increasingly prevalent in the aging population worldwide. The current study determined the factors affecting degeneration in the sensorimotor tract with degenerative cervical myelopathy and its relationship with brain structure. We divided patients into hyperintensity (HS) and non-hyperintensity (nHS) groups and measured the fractional anisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficients of the lateral corticospinal tract (CST), fasciculus gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus (FGC). Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) techniques were used to estimate brain structure changes. Correlation of the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score, light touch, pinprick, motor score, and fractional anisotropy (FA) ratios of the CST at different levels were analyzed. Compared to healthy controls, the FA ratios of CST in the HS and nHS groups were decreased at all levels, and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) ratio was increased only at C4/5 levels in the HS group. The FA ratio of FGC was decreased at the C3/4 and C4/5 levels in the HS group and only decreased at the C4/5 level in the nHS group. The ADC ratio was decreased only at the C4/5 level in the HS group. VBM analysis revealed that the volume of the precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and paracentral lobule increased in patients compared to controls. TBSS analysis found no statistical significance between the sensory and motor tracts in white matter. The volume of clusters in HS and nHS groups negatively correlated with the C1/2 FA ratio of the CST. The results showed that the degeneration distance of the CST was longer than the FGC, and the degeneration distance was related to the degree of compression and spinal cord damage. Structural compensation and the neurotrophin family may lead to enlargement of the brain.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Degeneration of the Sensorimotor Tract in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Compensatory Structural Changes in the Brain

Chen

Wang

et al. 2022

Front. Aging Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, in some patients without clinical symptoms, the microstructural function of the spinal cord at the cavity may have been seriously disturbed, which requires timely intervention and treatment. DTI may be used in syringomyelia to investigate microstructural changes in spinal fibre tracts around and beyond the syrinx, which are not available in conventional MRI and other technologies 10,11,14 . Currently, few studies have reported the application of DTI technology in patients with syringomyelia.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the authors concluded that the FA parameter might be a better DTI parameter to evaluate the microstructural damage of the spinal cord. In an animal study of spinal cavity after spinal cord trauma, Zhang et al 14 found that the FA values were significantly decreased and the ADC values were significantly increased after spinal cord injury. However, following repair of the spinal cord injury, even if a spinal cavity appeared, the FA values increased notably; additionally, there was no obvious change in the ADC values.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specific microstructural changes of the cervical spinal cord in syringomyelia estimated by diffusion tensor imaging

Li²,

Zong

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The microstructure of the spinal cord in syringomyelia has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microstructure of the cervical cord in patients with syringomyelia using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and to investigate the association between DTI parameters and the size of the syrinx cavity. Thirty patients with syringomyelia and 11 age-matched controls were included in this study. DTI and T1/T2-weighted MRI were used to estimate spinal microstructure. The patients were divided into a clinical symptom group (group A) and a non-clinical symptom group (group B) according to ASIA assessments. The fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values (mm2/s) were measured and compared between patients and controls. Correlation between FA/ADC and the size of the syrinx cavity was examined with a bivariate analysis. FA values were lower (P < 0.000) and ADC values were higher (P < 0.000) compared to the controls at the level of all syrinxes examined in patients with syringomyelia; both FA values and ADC values reached normal values either above or below the syrinx levels (all P > 0.05). FA values and ADC values at all cervical levels were not significantly different either in controls or outside of the syrinx (all P > 0.05). FA values of group A was significantly lower than those of group B (P < 0.000). There was a negative association between FA values and the size of syrinx cavity, and a positive association between ADC values and the size of syrinx cavity (FA: P < 0.05, ADC: P < 0.05). The microstructure of the cervical spinal cord is different across all patients with syringomyelia. DTI is a promising tool for estimating quantitative pathological characteristics that are not visible with general MRI.

show abstract

“…As an incidental finding, a Th2/3 fracture occurred at the site of the hemangioma. c, d Following contrast enhancement, an underlying pathology could be excluded a standardized experimental impact injury at the level of Th 9/10, 27% of rats develop a PTS within 6 weeks [18]. Symptomatic PTS may occur in less than 10% of patients with SCI, while the prevalence of an asymptomatic syrinx in patients who have been followed for 30 years is approximately 28% [19,20].…”

Section: Degree Of Spinal Injury and Development Of Syringomyeliamentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of pre-syrinx state and syringomyelia following a minor injury: a case report

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background A generally accepted rule is that posttraumatic syringomyelia (PTS) results from spinal cord injury (SCI). Case presentation Here, we report the development of syringomyelia without SCI in a 54-year-old Caucasian man following a mild motor vehicle accident. The computed tomography on admission excluded an injury of the spine. Because of neck and back pain, magnetic resonance imaging was performed on day 3 post-injury and demonstrated minimal changes from a ligamentous strain at the cervicothoracic transition. Any traumatic affection of the bone, vertebral discs, intraspinal compartment, or spinal cord were excluded. Some limb weakness and neurogenic bladder dysfunction started manifesting within the following weeks. Repeated MRIs following the accident demonstrated arachnoid adhesions at the C1–2 level and spinal cord edema equivalent to a pre-syrinx state at 12 months and syrinx formation at 24 months. Because of further deterioration, decompression was performed at 36 months. Conclusions We conclude that even after a minor trauma PTS can occur and that medullary edema (pre-syrinx state) may precede syrinx formation.

show abstract

Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Syringomyelia in Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Cited by 5 publications

References 19 publications

Degeneration of the Sensorimotor Tract in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Compensatory Structural Changes in the Brain

Degeneration of the Sensorimotor Tract in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy and Compensatory Structural Changes in the Brain

Specific microstructural changes of the cervical spinal cord in syringomyelia estimated by diffusion tensor imaging

Development of pre-syrinx state and syringomyelia following a minor injury: a case report

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About