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Tract-Specific Volume Loss on 3T MRI in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

ABSTRACT: STUDY DESIGN:Case-control. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to understand the role of high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) in identifying regional cord volume loss in cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA:Preliminary studies suggest that compression of the ventral region of the cord may contribute disproportionately to CSM symptomology; however, tract-specific data are lacking in the CSM population. The current study is the first to use 3T MR imaging (MRI) images of CSM patients to determine specific volume loss at the level of detail of individual descending white matter tracts. METHODS:Twelve patients with CSM and 14 age-matched were enrolled prospectively and underwent 3-Tesla MRI of the cervical spine. Using the high-resolution images of the spinal cord, straightening and alignment with a template was performed and specific spinal cord tract volumes were measured using Spinal Cord Tool-box version 3.0.7. Modified Japanese orthopedic association (mJOA) and Nurick disability scores were collected in a prospective manner and were analyzed in relation to descending spinal tract volumes. RESULTS:Having CSM was predicted by anterior/posterior diameter, eccentricity of the cord [odds ratio (OR) 0.000000621, P?=?0.004], ventral reticulospinal tract volume (OR 1.167, P?=?0.063), lateral corticospinal tract volume (OR 1.034, P?=?0.046), rubrospinal tract volume (OR 1.072, P?=?0.011), and ventrolateral reticulospinal tract volume (OR 1.474, P?=?0.005) on single variable logistic regression. Single variable linear regression showed decreases in anterior/posterior spinal cord diameter (P?=?0.022), ventral reticulospinal tract volumes (P?=?0.007), and ventrolateral reticulospinal tract volumes (P?=?0.017) to significantly predict worsening mJOA scores. Similarly, decreases in ventral reticulospinal tract volumes significantly predicted increasing Nurick scores (P?=?0.039). CONCLUSION:High-resolution 3T MRI can detect tract-specific volume loss in descending spinal cord tracts in CSM patients. Anterior/posterior spinal cord diameter, ventral reticulospinal tract, ventrolateral reticulospinal tract, lateral corticospinal tract, and rubrospinal tract volume loss are associated with CSM symptoms. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:2.

SUBMITTER: Hopkins BS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6167159 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Tract-Specific Volume Loss on 3T MRI in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Hopkins Benjamin S BS Weber Kenneth A KA Cloney Michael Brendan MB Paliwal Monica M Parrish Todd B TB Smith Zachary A ZA

Spine 20181001 20

<h4>Study design</h4>Case-control.<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this study was to understand the role of high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) in identifying regional cord volume loss in cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).<h4>Summary of background data</h4>Preliminary studies suggest that compression of the ventral region of the cord may contribute disproportionately to CSM symptomology; however, tract-specific data are lacking in the CSM population. The current study is the first to use 3T ...[more]

PMID: 29649085

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Project description:MethodsTwenty patients with CSM and 17 controls were recruited. Clinical scores of modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) and Nurick were collected. MRI based compression grades such as cord distortion were assessed. Hand dysfunction was tested using a custom motorized apparatus. Subject's forearm was placed in a cast and positioned such that their metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint was vertically aligned with the motor shaft. Surface electromyographic sensors were placed on flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) and extensor digitorum communis muscles. Hyperreflexia was measured as the FDS muscle activation during reflex when the MCP joint was moved from flexion to extension at 300°/sec. Proprioception was quantified as the angle of detection in absence of visual or auditory cues (subjects were blindfolded and given noise-cancelling headphones). Strength was measured as the maximum isometric force at the MCP joint. 2-sample t-test (p<0.05) were performed to assess significant differences in reflexes, proprioception and strength among patients and controls (SPSS software version 24).ResultsPatients reported higher Nurick (1.90±1.0 vs 0±0, p<0.001) and lower mJOA scores (14.3±1.9 vs 18.0±0, p<0.001) as compared to controls. Similarly, patients with CSM had increased reflexes (peak FDS EMG) (0.073±0.096 vs. 0.014±0.010, p = 0.019). Patient proprioception was significantly worse; mean angle of detection was greater than twice as high in patients (9.6± 9.43°) compared to controls (4.0± 2.3°), p = 0.022. MRI based compression ratio (CR) was a significant predictor of hyperreflexia, CR<0.44 resulted in steep increase in reflex activity. Fifteen of the 20 patients who completed follow up testing at 6 months after surgery show substantial clinical improvement in reflexes and proprioceptive angle, while repeated testing in controls were unchanged.ConclusionIn conclusion, hyperreflexia and decline in proprioception are the main drivers of hand disability in patients with CSM. Of multiple scales, only a select few MRI scales (such as compression ratio) were predictive of increased reflexes. The study describes a pre-clinical testing apparatus to quantitatively and objectively assess primary presenting symptoms in CSM. This pilot apparatus has the potential to evaluate treatment efficacy through repeated testing. Objective testing of hand dysfunction can help inform the design of clinically feasible devices, guide MRI biomarker analysis, and improve our understanding of the progression of neurological injury in this patient population.

Project description:Background:Cervical sagittal alignment plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), but there are limited studies on the cervical sagittal parameters in CSM patients and their correlations with myelopathy. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlations among the preoperative cervical sagittal alignment parameters and their correlations with the development of myelopathy in patients with CSM. Methods:We retrospectively collected 212 patients with CSM who underwent surgical interventions. Gender, age, modified Japanese Orthopedic Association score (mJOA), cervical lordosis (CL), C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (C2-C7 SVA), T1 slope (T1S), neck tilt (NT) and thoracic inlet angle (TIA) were collected before operation. Interobserver and intraobserver reliability were calculated for all measurements (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC). Data were analyzed with Pearson and Spearman correlation tests and multiple linear regression analysis. Results:A total of 212 patients with CSM were included in this study (male: 136, female: 76) with an average age of 54.5 ± 10.1 years old. Intraobserver and interobserver reliability for all included radiographic parameters presented good to excellent agreement (ICC > 0.7). No significant differences in demographic and radiological parameters have been observed between males and females (P > 0.05). We found statistically significant correlations among the following parameters: age with CL (r = 0.135, P = 0.049), age with T1S (r = 0.222, P = 0.001), CL with T1S (r = 0.291, P < 0.001), CL with C2-C7 SVA (r = - 0.395, P < 0.001), mJOA with age (r = - 0.274, P < 0.001), mJOA with C2-C7 SVA (r = - 0.219, P < 0.001) and mJOA with T1S(r = - 0.171, p = 0.013). Linear regression analysis showed that C2-C7 SVA was the predictor of CL (adjusted R2 = 0.152, P < 0.001) and multiple linear regression showed that age combined with C2-C7 SVA was a sensitive predictor of mJOA (adjusted R2 = 0.106, P < 0.001). Discussion:There were significant correlations among certain preoperative cervical sagittal parameters in CSM patients. CL was the only predictor of C2-C7 SVA. Age combined with C2-C7 SVA could predict the severity of myelopathy.

Dataset Information

Tract-Specific Volume Loss on 3T MRI in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Publications

Tract-Specific Volume Loss on 3T MRI in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

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