scholarly journals Extent of cord pathology in the lumbosacral enlargement in non-traumatic versus traumatic spinal cord injury

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gergely David ◽  
Kevin Vallotton ◽  
Markus Hupp ◽  
Armin Curt ◽  
Patrick Freund ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Fractional Anisotropy ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Similar Degree ◽  
Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Lateral Column ◽  
Cord Injury

Objectives: This study compares remote neurodegenerative changes caudal to a cervical injury in degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) (i.e. non-traumatic) and incomplete traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) patients, using MRI-based tissue area measurements and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods: Eighteen mild to moderate DCM patients with sensory impairments (mean mJOA score: 16.2), 14 incomplete tetraplegic tSCI patients (AIS C&D), and 20 healthy controls were recruited. All participants received DTI and T2*-weighted scans in the lumbosacral enlargement (caudal to injury) and at C2/C3 (rostral to injury). MRI readouts included DTI metrics in the white matter (WM) columns and cross-sectional WM and gray matter area. One-way ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc comparison (p<0.05) was used to assess group differences. Results: In the lumbosacral enlargement, compared to DCM, tSCI patients exhibited decreased fractional anisotropy in the lateral (tSCI vs. DCM, -11.9%, p=0.007) and ventral WM column (-8.0%, p=0.021), and showed trend toward lower values in the dorsal column (-8.9%, p=0.068). At C2/C3, no differences in DTI metrics were observed between DCM and tSCI, but compared to controls, fractional anisotropy was lower in both groups in the dorsal (DCM vs. controls, -7.9%, p=0.024; tSCI vs. controls, -10.0%, p=0.007) and in the lateral column (DCM: -6.2%, p=0.039; tSCI: -13.3%, p<0.001). WM areas were not different between patient groups, but were significantly lower compared to healthy controls both in the lumbosacral enlargement (DCM: -16.9%, p<0.001; tSCI, -10.5%, p=0.043) and at C2/C3 (DCM: -16.0%, p<0.001; tSCI: -18.1%, p<0.001). Conclusion: In conclusion, mild to moderate DCM and incomplete tSCI lead to similar degree of degeneration of the dorsal and lateral columns at C2/C3, but tSCI results in more widespread white matter damage in the lumbosacral enlargement. These remote changes are likely to contribute to the impairment and recovery of the patients. Diffusion MRI is a sensitive tool to assess remote pathological changes in DCM and tSCI patients.

scholarly journals Noninvasive diffusion tensor imaging of evolving white matter pathology in a mouse model of acute spinal cord injury

2007 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joong Hee Kim ◽  
David N. Loy ◽  
Hsiao-Fang Liang ◽  
Kathryn Trinkaus ◽  
Robert E. Schmidt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Acute Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
White Matter Pathology

scholarly journals White matter regeneration induced by aligned fibrin nanofiber hydrogel contributes to motor functional recovery in canine T12 spinal cord injury

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng Cao ◽  
Weitao Man ◽  
Yuhui Xiong ◽  
Yi Guo ◽  
Shuhui Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Nerve Regeneration ◽  
Spinal Cord Injuries ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Functional Restoration ◽  
Large Animal ◽  
Cord Injury

Abstract A hierarchically aligned fibrin hydrogel (AFG) that possesses soft stiffness and aligned nanofiber structure has been successfully proven to facilitate neuroregeneration in vitro and in vivo. However, its potential in promoting nerve regeneration in large animal models that is critical for clinical translation has not been sufficiently specified. Here, the effects of AFG on directing neuroregeneration in canine hemisected T12 spinal cord injuries were explored. Histologically obvious white matter regeneration consisting of a large area of consecutive, compact, and aligned nerve fibers is induced by AFG, leading to a significant motor functional restoration. The canines with AFG implantation start to stand well with their defective legs from 3 to 4 weeks postoperatively and even effortlessly climb the steps from 7 to 8 weeks. Moreover, high-resolution multi-shot diffusion tensor imaging illustrates the spatiotemporal dynamics of nerve regeneration rapidly crossing the lesion within 4 weeks in the AFG group. Our findings indicate that AFG could be a potential therapeutic vehicle for spinal cord injury by inducing rapid white matter regeneration and restoring locomotion, pointing out its promising prospect in clinic practice.

scholarly journals Clinical correlates of cerebral diffusion tensor imaging findings in chronic traumatic spinal cord injury

Spinal Cord ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
E A Koskinen ◽  
U Hakulinen ◽  
A E Brander ◽  
T M Luoto ◽  
A Ylinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Imaging Findings ◽  
Clinical Correlates ◽  
Cord Injury

Identification of Severities of Spinal Cord Injury during Acute Phase in Rats by Diffusion Tensor Imaging

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beike Chen ◽  
Qiang Tan ◽  
Weikang Zhao ◽  
Qiming Yang ◽  
Hongyan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Motor Evoked Potentials ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Aneurysm Clip ◽  
Cord Injury

Abstract Background: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was an effective method to identify subtle changes to normal‐appearing white matter (WM). Here we analyzed the DTI data with other examinations, including motor evoked potentials (MEPs), histopathological images, and behavioral results, to reflect the lesion development in different degrees of spinal cord injury (SCI) in acute and subacute stage. Method: Except for 2 Sprague -Dawley rats died from anesthesia accident, the rest 42 female rats were randomized into 3 groups: control (n=6), moderate group (n=18), and severe group (n=18). Moderate (a 50-g aneurysm clip with 0.4-mm thickness spacer) or severe (a 50-g aneurysm clip with no spacer) contusion SCI at T8 vertebrae were induced. Then the electrophysiological assessments via MEPs, behavioral deterioration via the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnaha (BBB) scores, DTI data, and histopathology examination were analyzed. Results: In this study, we found that the damage of WM myelin, MEPs amplitude, BBB scores and the decreases in values of fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity (AD) were more obvious in the severe injury group than that of the moderate group. Additionally, the FA and AD values could identify the extent of SCI in subacute and early acute SCI respectively, reflected in the robust correlations with MEPs and BBB scores. While the values of radial diffusivity (RD) showed no significant changes. Conclusions: Our data confirmed that DTI was a valuable in ex vivo imaging tool to identify damaged white matter tracts after graded SCI in rat, which may provide useful information for the early identification of the severity of SCI.

scholarly journals Investigation of Cerebral White Matter Changes After Spinal Cord Injury With a Measure of Fiber Density

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Huynh ◽  
Philipp Staempfli ◽  
Robin Luetolf ◽  
Roger Luechinger ◽  
Armin Curt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Roc Analysis ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Tensor Model ◽  
Fiber Density ◽  
Microstructural Changes ◽  
Cord Injury

Remote neurodegenerative changes in supraspinal white matter (WM) can manifest after central lesions such as spinal cord injury (SCI). The majority of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies use traditional metrics such as fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) to investigate microstructural changes in cerebral WM after SCI. However, interpretation of FA readouts is often challenged by inherent limitations of the tensor model. Recent developments in novel diffusion markers, such as fiber density (FD), allows more accurate depictions of WM pathways and has shown more reliable quantification of WM alterations compared to FA in recent studies of neurological diseases. This study investigated if FD provides useful characterization of supraspinal WM integrity after SCI in addition to the traditional DTI readouts. FA, MD, and FD maps were derived from diffusion datasets of 20 patients with chronic SCI and compared with 19 healthy controls (HC). Group differences were investigated across whole brain WM using tract-based spatial statistics and averaged diffusion values of the corticospinal tract (CST) and thalamic radiation (TR) were extracted for comparisons between HC and SCI subgroups. We also related diffusion readouts of the CST and TR with clinical scores of sensorimotor function. To investigate which diffusion markers of the CST and TR delineate HC and patients with SCI a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed. Overall, patients with an SCI showed decreased FA of the TR and CST. ROC analysis differentiated HC and SCI based on diffusion markers of large WM tracts including FD of the TR. Furthermore, patients' motor function was positively correlated with greater microstructural integrity of the CST. While FD showed the strongest correlation, motor function was also associated with FA and MD of the CST. In summary, microstructural changes of supraspinal WM in patients with SCI can be detected using FD as a complementary marker to traditional DTI readouts and correlates with their clinical characteristics. Future DTI studies may benefit from utilizing this novel marker to investigate complex large WM tracts in patient cohorts with varying presentations of SCI or neurodegenerative diseases.

scholarly journals Decreased white matter fractional anisotropy is associated with poorer functional motor skills following spinal cord injury: a pilot study

Spinal Cord ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin E. Cunningham ◽  
Jeremy W. Noble ◽  
Andrei Krassioukov ◽  
Lara A. Boyd ◽  
Janice J. Eng
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Fractional Anisotropy ◽  
Motor Skills ◽  
Cord Injury

Diffusion tensor imaging in the evaluation of the long-term efficacy of HBO2 therapy in rats after traumatic spinal cord injury

2020 ◽  
pp. 435-443
Author(s):  
Yijing Zhao ◽  
◽  
Yingyan Zheng ◽  
Zebin Xiao ◽  
Jianyi iu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Term Efficacy ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Hbo2 Therapy ◽  
Over Time

Objective: This study explored the feasibility of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the evaluation of the long-term efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy in rats after traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) with different degrees of injury. Method: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats (total n = 60) were randomly separated into three groups of mild, moderate and severe TSCI (20 rats per group). Each group was then randomly divided into TSCI and TSCI+HBO2 subgroups (10 rats per subgroup). Basso Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) scores and DTI parameters including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean apparent diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD) and axial diffusivity (AD) were collected at pre-TSCI and at 0, six and 24 hours, and three, seven, 14, 21, 28 and 56 days post-TSCI. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used for comparison between the TSCI and TSCI+HBO2 subgroups over time in the mild, moderate and severe TSCI groups. Pearson correlation analysis was applied to analyze the correlations between BBB scores and DTI parameters. Results: BBB scores, FA, MD and RD values showed significant differences between the TSCI and TSCI+HBO2 subgroups over time in the mild, moderate and severe TSCI groups (all p<0.01). FA, MD and RD values were positively correlated with BBB scores in all TSCI and TSCI+HBO2 subgroups (all p<0.05). Conclusions: DTI parameters, especially MD, could quantifiably assess the long-term efficacy of HBO2 therapy and reflect the functional recovery in rats after TSCI with different degrees of injury.

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