PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - T.H. Kim
AU  - L. Zollinger
AU  - X.F. Shi
AU  - S.E. Kim
AU  - J. Rose
AU  - A.A. Patel
AU  - E.K. Jeong
TI  - Quantification of Diffusivities of the Human Cervical Spinal Cord Using a 2D Single-Shot Interleaved Multisection Inner Volume Diffusion-Weighted Echo-Planar Imaging Technique
AID  - 10.3174/ajnr.A1881
DP  - 2010 Apr 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 682--687
VI  - 31
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/31/4/682.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/31/4/682.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2010 Apr 01; 31
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: DTI is a highly sensitive technique, which can detect pathology not otherwise noted with conventional imaging methods. This paper provides the atlas of reliable normative in vivo DTI parameters in the cervical spinal cord and its potential applications toward quantifying pathology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our study, we created a reference of normal diffusivities of the cervical spinal cord by using a 2D ss-IMIV-DWEPI technique from 14 healthy volunteers and compared parameters with those in 8 patients with CSM. The 2D ss-IMIV-DWEPI technique was applied in each subject to acquire diffusion-weighted images. FA, λ∥, and λ⊥ were calculated. A reference of normal DTI indices from 12 regions of interest was created and compared with DTI indices of 8 patients. RESULTS: A map of reference diffusivity values was obtained from healthy controls. We found statistically significant differences in diffusivities between healthy volunteers and patients with CSM with different severities of disease, by using FA, λ∥, and λ⊥ values. CONCLUSIONS: DTI using 2D ss-IMIV-DWPEI is sensitive to spinal cord pathology. This technique can be used to detect and quantify the degree of pathology within the cervical spinal cord from multiple disease states. CSMcervical spondylotic myelopathy2D ss-IMIV-DWEPI2D single-shot interleaved multisection inner volume diffusion-weighted echo-planar imagingDTIdiffusion tensor imagingDWdiffusion-weightedEPIecho-planar imagingETLecho-train lengthFAfractional anisotropyλ∥longitudinal diffusivityλ⊥radial diffusivityIMIVinterleaved multisection inner volumeNMGNurick myelopathy gradingRGBred-green-blueSNRsignal intensity–to-noise ratioT2WIT2-weighted imaging