Feasibility of 3.0 T diffusion-weighted nuclear magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of functional recovery of rats with complete spinal cord injury  

作　　者：Duo Zhang Xiao-hui Li Xu Zhai Xi-jing He 

机构地区：[1]Second Department of Orthopedics,Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University [2]Department of Radiology,Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University

出　　处：《Neural Regeneration Research》2015年第3期412-418,共7页中国神经再生研究（英文版）

基　　金：financially supported by a grant from the Shaanxi Provincial Science and Technology Research and Development Project,No.2013K12-20-08

摘　　要：Diffusion tensor imaging is a sensitive way to reflect axonal necrosis and degeneration, glial cell regeneration and demyelination following spinal cord injury, and to display microstructure changes in the spinal cord in vivo. Diffusion tensor imaging technology is a sensitive method to diagnose spinal cord injury; fiber tractography visualizes the white matter fibers, and directly displays the structural integrity and resultant damage of the fiber bundle. At present, diffusion tensor imaging is restricted to brain examinations, and is rarely applied in the evaluation of spinal cord injury. This study aimed to explore the fractional anisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficient of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging and the feasibility of diffusion tensor tractography in the evaluation of complete spinal cord injury in rats. The results showed that the average combined scores were obviously decreased after spinal cord transection in rats, and then began to increase over time. The fractional anisotropy scores after spinal cord transection in rats were significantly lower than those in normal rats （P 〈 0.05）; the apparent diffusion coefficient was significantly increased compared with the normal group （P 〈 0.05）. Following spinal cord transection, fractional anisotropy scores were negatively correlated with apparent diffusion coefficient values （r = -0.856, P 〈 0.01）, and positively correlated with the average combined scores （r = 0.943, P 〈 0.01）, while apparent diffusion coefficient values had a negative correlation with the average combined scores （r = -0.949, P 〈 0.01）. Experimental findings suggest that, as a non-invasive examination, diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging can provide qualita- tive and quantitative information about spinal cord injury. The fractional anisotropy score and apparent diffusion coefficient have a good correlation with the average combined scores, which reflect functional recovery after spinal cord injury.Diffusion tensor imaging is a sensitive way to reflect axonal necrosis and degeneration, glial cell regeneration and demyelination following spinal cord injury, and to display microstructure changes in the spinal cord in vivo. Diffusion tensor imaging technology is a sensitive method to diagnose spinal cord injury; fiber tractography visualizes the white matter fibers, and directly displays the structural integrity and resultant damage of the fiber bundle. At present, diffusion tensor imaging is restricted to brain examinations, and is rarely applied in the evaluation of spinal cord injury. This study aimed to explore the fractional anisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficient of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging and the feasibility of diffusion tensor tractography in the evaluation of complete spinal cord injury in rats. The results showed that the average combined scores were obviously decreased after spinal cord transection in rats, and then began to increase over time. The fractional anisotropy scores after spinal cord transection in rats were significantly lower than those in normal rats （P 〈 0.05）; the apparent diffusion coefficient was significantly increased compared with the normal group （P 〈 0.05）. Following spinal cord transection, fractional anisotropy scores were negatively correlated with apparent diffusion coefficient values （r = -0.856, P 〈 0.01）, and positively correlated with the average combined scores （r = 0.943, P 〈 0.01）, while apparent diffusion coefficient values had a negative correlation with the average combined scores （r = -0.949, P 〈 0.01）. Experimental findings suggest that, as a non-invasive examination, diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging can provide qualita- tive and quantitative information about spinal cord injury. The fractional anisotropy score and apparent diffusion coefficient have a good correlation with the average combined scores, which reflect functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

关 键 词：nerve regeneration spinal cord injury spinal cord transection average combined score magnetic resonance imaging diffusion tensor imaging fractional anisotropy apparent diffusioncoefficient fiber tractography neural regeneration 

分 类 号：R651.2[医药卫生—外科学]