Title :
In vivo diffusion tensor imaging of chronic spinal cord compression in rat model
Author :
Cheung, Matthew M. ; Li, Darrell T H ; Hui, Edward S. ; Fan, Shujuan ; Ding, Abby Y. ; Hu, Yong ; Wu, Ed.X.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Electron. Eng., Univ. of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Abstract :
Chronic spinal cord compression induced cervical myelopathy is a common cause of spinal cord dysfunction. The exact mechanisms of underlying progressive cell death remain to be elucidated. In this study, in vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been applied to investigate the microstructural changes of white matter (WM) in this neurodegenerative disease. Compared with conventional MRI techniques, DTI is believed to be more specific to pathological changes. Radial diffusivity (lambdaperp) is higher in the ipilesional region, suggesting demyelination or axonal degradation may occur after prolonged compression. Near the epicenter of lesion, axial diffusivity (lambda//) is lower. Also, caudal-rostral asymmetry has been observed in lambda//. Feasibility of using DTI to detect microstructural changes in chronic disease has been demonstrated.
Keywords :
biodiffusion; biomechanics; biomedical MRI; cellular biophysics; diseases; neurophysiology; axial diffusivity; axonal degradation; caudal-rostral asymmetry; cervical myelopathy; chronic disease; chronic spinal cord compression; demyelination degradation; in vivo diffusion tensor imaging; ipilesional region; microstructural changes; neurodegenerative disease; pathological changes; progressive cell death; radial diffusivity; rat model; spinal cord dysfunction; white matter; Cervical myelopathy; DTI; MRI; axial diffusivity; radial diffusivity; spinal cord compression; Animals; Brain; Brain Mapping; Diffusion; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Diffusion Tensor Imaging; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Spinal Cord; Spinal Cord Compression;
Conference_Titel :
Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2009. EMBC 2009. Annual International Conference of the IEEE
Conference_Location :
Minneapolis, MN
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-3296-7
Electronic_ISBN :
1557-170X
DOI :
10.1109/IEMBS.2009.5333389