A combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor image to explore structure-function relationship in healthy and myelopathic spinal cord

Jiao-Long Cui; Guangsheng Li; Kin-Cheung Mak; Keith Dip-Kei Luk; Yong Hu

doi:10.2147/JN.S116450

Journal of Neurorestoratology 2016, 4(1): 69-78 https://doi.org/10.2147/JN.S116450

Original Research |

Open Access | Issue | Published: 06 October 2016

A combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor image to explore structure-function relationship in healthy and myelopathic spinal cord

Show Author's Information Hide Author's Information Jiao-Long Cui^¹, Guangsheng Li^², Kin-Cheung Mak^{¹^,³}, Keith Dip-Kei Luk^¹, Yong Hu^{¹^,²^,³}(

)

1Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

2Department of Orthopaedics, Spinal Division, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Guangdong,

3Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Innovative Technology in Orthopaedic Trauma, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China

Keywords:

fMRI, spinal cord, blood oxygen level dependent, diffusion tensor imaging, cervical spondylotic myelopathy

Cite this article:

Cui J-L, Li G, Mak K-C, et al. A combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor image to explore structure-function relationship in healthy and myelopathic spinal cord. Journal of Neurorestoratology, 2016, 4(1): 69-78. https://doi.org/10.2147/JN.S116450

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Abstract Full text About this article

Abstract

Background:

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a degenerative disorder that can chronically damage the spinal cord. The aim of this study was to investigate the column-specific degeneration in the cervical cord with CSM and explore the structure-function relationship by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Patients and methods:

DTI and blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI were obtained from 14 healthy controls and six patients with CSM at 3 T. The fractional anisotropy (FA) value of anterior, lateral, and posterior column and the BOLD signal in response to somatosensory stimulation were compared among three groups: the average value of levels from C3 to C8 in the control and CSM groups and the value at maximal compression site in the CSM (CSM-mc) group. The correlation between FA value and BOLD signal was used to assess the structure-function relationship.

Results:

The FA value in CSM-mc was lower than control-ave in all the columns (P<0.01) and lower than CSM-ave in the lateral and posterior column (P<0.05). The BOLD signal in CSM was significantly higher than that in the control (P<0.001). In the posterior column, a significant correlation between BOLD signal and FA value was found (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated that the microstructural damage in CSM was correlated with functional changes. DTI combined with fMRI reveals the relationship between structural damage and neural activity, which might provide a promising method to reveal the underlying pathomechanism of CSM.

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A combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor image to explore structure-function relationship in healthy and myelopathic spinal cord

Show Author's information Hide Author's Information Jiao-Long Cui^¹, Guangsheng Li^², Kin-Cheung Mak^{¹^,³}, Keith Dip-Kei Luk^¹, Yong Hu^{¹^,²^,³}(

)

1Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China

2Department of Orthopaedics, Spinal Division, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Guangdong,

3Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Innovative Technology in Orthopaedic Trauma, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China

Abstract

Background:

Patients and methods:

Results:

Conclusion:

Keywords: fMRI, spinal cord, blood oxygen level dependent, diffusion tensor imaging, cervical spondylotic myelopathy

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Published: 06 October 2016

Issue date: December 2016

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81572193), General Research Fund of the University Grant Council of Hong Kong (771608M), and Shenzhen Knowledge Innovation Program of Basic Research Items of Guangdong Province (JCYJ20150331142757393).

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