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Diffusion tensor imaging may help predict impairment in CSM patients
Study findings supported the use of diffusion tensor imaging as an imaging biomarker for the prediction of neurologic impairment in patients with mild-to-moderate cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
In a nonrandomized, single-institution study, researchers evaluated 48 cervical spondylosis patients with or without spinal cord signal change who underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the spinal cord and functional assessment. The researchers assessed fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity, radial and axial diffusion coefficient, axial diffusion anisotropy, ψ and the standard deviation of primary eigenvector orientation at the site of compression.
According to the researchers, results suggested the average FA, transverse apparent diffusion coefficient, ψ and standard deviation of primary eigenvector orientation at the spinal level of highest compression had a linear correlation with modified Japanese Orthopedic Association scores.
Through receiver-operator characteristic analysis, the researchers also found FA and ψ could identify stenosis patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms with a relatively high sensitivity and specificity.
Disclosure: See the study for a full list of all authors’ relevant financial disclosures.