Clinical application of magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging for spinal cord injury diagnosis

Objective:To investigate the clinical application of magnetic resonance(MR)diffusion tensor imaging for spinal cord injury diagnosis.Methods:Conventional cervical magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)scanning and MR diffusion tensor imaging were performed on 54 patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy and 42 cases of healthy volunteers as a healthy control group.Apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)and fractional anisotropy(FA)were measured,diffusion tensor tracking(DTT)was showed in each group.Results:The average ADC value is(830.34±215.86)×106 mm2/s,the average FA value is(536.03±40.00)×10-3 in control group;in contrast the average ADC value is(1 107.60±47.55)×106 mm2/s,higher than the control group with statistical significant difference(P0.01),and the average FA value is(425.91 ±59.48)×10-3,lower than the control group with statistical significant difference(P0.01).Conclusion:MR diffusion tensor imaging can show the injury in the spinal cord at earlier stage.ADC value,FA value and DTT are sensitive indicators of the early detection of micro-structure of spinal cord injury.