Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2013, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (36): 3382-3390.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.36.003

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Does diffusion tensor data reflect pathological changes in the spinal cord with chronic injury?

Erjian Lin1, Houqing Long2, Guangsheng Li3, Wanlong Lei4   

  1. 1 Department of Radiology, the Eastern Hospital of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510700, Guangdong Province, China
    2 Department of Spinal Surgery, Huangpu Branch, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510700, Guangdong Province, China
    3 Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang 524001, Guangdong Province, China
    4 Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510086, Guangdong Province, China
  • Received:2013-08-06 Revised:2013-11-17 Online:2013-12-25 Published:2013-12-25
  • Contact: Houqing Long, M.D., Associate professor, Associate chief physician, Master’s supervisor, Department of Spinal Surgery, Huangpu Branch, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510700, Guangdong Province, China, houqinglong@163.com. Wanlong Lei, M.D., Professor, Doctoral supervisor, Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510086, Guangdong Province, China, leiwl@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
  • About author:Erjian Lin, Master, Technician-in-charge.

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Abstract:

Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging has been shown to quantitatively measure the early pathological changes in chronic cervical spondylotic myelopathy. In this study, a novel spongy pol-yurethane material was implanted in the rat C3–5 epidural space to establish a rat model of chronic cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Diffusion tensor data were used to predict pathological changes. Results revealed that the fractional anisotropy value gradually decreased at 4, 24, and 72 hours and 1 week after injury in rat spinal cord, showing a time-dependent manner. Average diffusion coeffi-cient increased at 72 hours and 1 week after implantation. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Luxol-fast-blue staining exhibited that the number of neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord gray matter and the nerve fiber density of the white matter gradually reduced with prolonged com-pression time. Neuronal loss was most significant at 1 week after injury. Results verified that the fractional anisotropy value and average diffusion coefficient reflected the degree of pathological change in the site of compression in rat models at various time points after chronic spinal cord compression injury, which potentially has a reference value in the early diagnosis of chronic cervical spondylotic myelopathy.