The Clinical Application Study Of Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) MR Imaging In Acute Contusion Of Cervical Spinal Cord

Objective To analyze parameters characteristics of the normal cervical spinal cord quantitatively in healthy volunteers by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).Methods 30 healthy volunteers (men 18 women 12 age between 24-69years average age 39.8) were evenly divided into three age groups (less than 40 years, 41 to 59 years, over 60 years) according to year, including first group 10 cases, men 6,women 4; second group 10 cases, men 7, women 3; last group 10 cases, men 5,women 5.30 healthy volunteers were Performed Conventional T2WI,T1WI and axial DTI by using GE EXCITE II 1.5T MR. with ADC and FA maps generated ,30 volunteers got through DTI examination. On axial views, the ROI were placed in different levels of the cervical spinal cord (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7) and ROI were placed in the anterior region, posterior region and bilateral lateral region spinal tracts on axial views at C2 level. ADC and FA values of ROI were measured respectivelyResults Values of ADC and FA were correlated with age. with age increasing , FA values are low gradually, ADC values are high slightly. But there were not statistically significant in values of ADC and FA among different age-groups. On axial views, FA values at the level of C1 were significantly lower than those of other levels and ADC values at the level of C1were significantly higher than those of other levels (P<0.05); FA values and ADC values at the level of C2 are in contrast (P<0.05). On axial views FA values in the anterior region were significantly lower than others, while ADC values were significantly higher than others (P<0.05); Conversely, FA values in the posterior region were significantly higher than others, while ADC values were significantly lower than others (P<0.05). Conclusion DTI can clearly show the cervical spinal cord and analyze imaging characteristics of relative invariable parameter values quantitatively in healthy volunteers. Objective To study the clinical application value of DTI MR imaging in acute contusion of cervical spinal cord.Methods 37 cases with acute contusion of spinal cord were examined with routine MRI and DTI on a 1.5-tesla MR system within 72 h post-trauma,and the changes of nerve functions were recorded.Results 37 patients explored changes of nerve functions, involving A class 8 cases, B class 9 cases, C class 8 cases, D class 6 cases, E class 6 cases. 37 cases examined by DTI showed good images. There were two big groups: 14 cases with no abnormal high signal on MRI T2WI and 23 cases left with high signal on MRI T2WI. Among the first big group with no abnormal high signal on T2WI, 4 patients whose ADC and FA values at the lesion level had difference from the normal cervical spinal cord appeared furious changes of nerve functions, B class or C class largely. The rest performed D class or E class in changes of nerve functions mainly. There were 23 Patients who were classified into three categories depending on different degrees of tissue injury: (1) Edema-type: 8 cases. They presented T2WI high signals and T1WI low signals in local lesions with changes of nerve functions are C class mainly. (2) Mixed-type: 9 cases. They showed T2WI mixed high signals due to hemorrhage and edema in lesions. (3) Hemorrhage-type: 6 cases. They showed T2WI mixed high signals mainly and T1WI low signals majorly due to prominent hemorrhage. Mixed-type and Hemorrhage-type patients have changes of nerve functions A or B class mainly. In comparison with different degrees of tissue injury, there were statistically significant differences of FA and ADC values between them (P<0.05). FA value in Hemorrhage-type is the lowest among them, while ADC value in Hemorrhage-type is the highest at the same time loss of nerve functions is dramatic.Conclusion DTI of the cervical spinal cord is useful for visualizing the injury cord in the super-early stage, helping to determine integrity and estimating degree of cervical spinal cord and detecting hemorrhage. The correlation of DTI of the cervical spinal cord provided satisfactory images with the changes of nerve functions was explored.