Clinical Application Of Diffusion Tensor Imaging In Normal Cervical And Cervical Cord Injury

Objective To investigate clinical application value of diffusion tensor imaging and diffusion tensor fiber tracking in normal cervical spinal cord,cervical spondylotic myelopathy and acute cervical spinal cord trauma. Methods collecting 48 cases healthy volunteers were as A group;46 cases patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy were divided into 2 groups based on conventional MRI T2 WI having or not having high signal. Patients in group B1 had high signal on conventional MRI T2 WI, while patients in group B2 did not.41 cases patients with acute cervical spinal cord trauma were divided into 2 groups based on conventional MRI T2 WI having or not having abnormal signal. Patients in group C1 had abnormal signal on conventional MRI T2 WI, while patients in group C2 did not. Conventional MRI T1 WI, T2 WI and DTI examination were scanned by GE Signa HDx3.0T superconducting magnetic resonance scanner, and DTT reconstruction was realized. DTI used SE-EPI sequence,and acquisition direction took 25. Diffusion gradient factor b values took 0 and 600s/mm2, and axial DTI imaging was scanned. useing the DTI post-processing software of functool within ADW4.4 workstations to get colour coding figures, to measure the DTI parameter values of C2/3, C3/4, C4/5, C5/6 and C6/7 intervertebral discs corresponding spinal cord level of A group,intramedullary high signal area on T2 WI of B1 group,The obviouslevel compressed cervical spinal cord on T2 WI of B2 group, intramedullary cervical abnormal signal area on T2 WI of C1 group,and cervical spine fracture or soft tissue corresponding spinal cord level of C2 group. Measurement of ADC value, FA value, ?1、 ?2、 ?3value, and all data were statistically analyzed using the 13 software, to compare the differences among the groups for each parameter. Results(1)Normal control group divided into 20~40 years old, 40~60 and60~80 years old in three age groups. ADC,?1and ?3value were positively correlated with the age, but the ADC value was statistically significant among different age groups(P ﹤0.05),while ?1and ?3value were not statistical significance among different age groups(P﹥0.05).Gender groups had no statistical significance(P﹥0.05).The FA value at level of C2/3intervertebral disc was higher than that at other segments, but no statistical significance(P﹥0.05).(2) Comparison patients of cervical spondylotic myelopathy with control group, ADC,?1, ?2and ?3value of group B1 were increased, while?1、?3value of group B2 were increased, FA value of both decreased, with significant difference(P ﹤ 0.05). B1 group compared with B2 group, and the former FA value is lower than that of the latter, with significant difference(P ﹤ 0.05).(3) Compared patients of acute cervical spinal cord injury and control group, ADC, ?2and ?3value of group C1 were increased, while ?3value of group C2 were increased, FA value of both decreased, with significant difference(P﹤0.05).C1 group compared with C2 group, the former ?3value is higher than that of the latter, and the FA value is lower than the latter, with significant difference(P﹤0.05). Fiber graphs in cervical spinal cord injury display fiber with different degrees of displacement, sparse,distortion and fracture. Conclusion(1) With age, the DTI parameters values are changed.(2)FA and ?3value are sensitive indices for evaluation of cervical spinal cord injury, and the fiber tracking can visually displaythe subtle change.