The Application Of MR Diffusion Tensor Imaging In Cervical Cord Diseases

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility and clinical application of MR diffusion tensor imaging (MR-DTI) in cervical cord diseases.Materials and Methods: Collection of 33 cases of cervical lesions diseases ,including chronic cervical cord injury (n=23),acute cervical cord injury (n=5),inflammation diseases(n=3),tumor of the cervical canal (n=2);15 healthy volunteers were prospectively selected. The application of GE's Signa excite 1.5T HD Echo speed superconducting magnetic resonance machine, an 8-channel conventional spinal cord coil MR and MR-DTI checks which MR-DTI technology EPI(single - shot echo-planar image) scanning technology, select the 15 gradient sensitive direction and diffusion coefficient b values were 0,500 s/mm2, scan time of 4 minutes 54 seconds. After the completion of application Functool software for analysis and then use T2WI be analyzed to determine the level. In determining the level of the spinal cord within the b value is equal to 0 size of the image at the same interest, each the size of 12 pixels. The values of FA (Fractional Anisotropy) and ADC (Apparent Diffusion Coefficient) were obtained. The statistical analysis software SPSS13.0 were used to design parameters of the two samples for t tests (P = 0.05). MR-DTI in the application of technology white matter fiber bundle reconstruction, set threshold values for the FA 0.18. Lesions in the group and control group set up appropriate region, the white matter fiber bundle reconstruction plans.Results:1.the values of FA and ADC(1) The FA values the control group of healthy volunteers were 0.657±0.058, ADC values were (0.958±0.136)×10^-3mm² /s. (2) The FA and ADC values of chronic cervical cord injury cases were 0.458±0.047 and( 1.202±0.285)×10^-3mm²/s. Compared with the control group it was found that chronic cervical cord injury cases had significantly lower FA values (P <0.05) and significantly higher ADC values (P <0.05). The sensitivity of FA and ADC values in MR-DTI technology for chronic cervical cord injury diagnosis was 100%, which of conventional T2WI was 56.5% (13/ 23) .(3) The FA and ADC values of acute cervical cord injury cases were0.384±0.076 and (0.891±0.248)×10^-3mm² / s; Compared with the control group it was found that the FA values decreased significantly (P <0.05), otherwise, there was no significant difference in ADC values (P> 0.05).(4) Chronic cervical cord injury and chronic cervical cord injury FA values of statistical analysis found: acute cervical cord injury FA values than chronic cervical cord injury decreased significantly (P <0.05)2.The fiber tractsThe fiber tracts of normal cervical cord were distributed and unaffected. The fiber tracts showed the abnormal areas of the main white matter, including displacement interruption and deformation of the white matter tracts at the level of the pathological lesions in the spinal cord.Conclusions:1. The FA values decreased and the ADC values increased of MR-DTI can be used to detect which the conventional MR failed to find in chronic spinal cord injury.2. The FA values decreased and the ADC values changed of MR-DTI can provide more valuable information for the assessment to the level of acute spinal cord injury.3. The white matter fiber visual imaging can show the spinal cord fiber damage.