RESUMEN
Objective:To investigate the predictive value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters in upper extremity motor function recovery after surgery in patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI).Methods:Twenty-three patients with acute CSCI who received postoperative systemic rehabilitation therapy in Department of Neurosurgery, 900 th Hospital of Joint Logistics Team of People's Liberation Army from May 2019 to July 2021 were selected as an experimental group, and 22 healthy subjects (healthy control group) matched with age and gender were selected from Physical Examination Center of the same hospital at the same period. Routine MRI sequence and DTI scan of the cervical spinal cord, scale of American Association for Spinal Cord Injury (ASIA) and modified Barthe index (mBI) were performed in patients of the experimental group 1 d and 3 months after surgery. Routine MRI sequence and DTI scan of the cervical spinal cord were performed in healthy subjects after enrollment. The DTI parameters in different regions between the two groups were compared, and the differences in DTI parameters, ASIA scores and mBI in patients of the experimental group before and after surgery were compared. Correlations of preoperative DTI parameters with preoperative upper extremity motor ASIA scores and upper extremity motor recovery rate 3 months after surgery were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive efficacy of preoperative fractional anisotropy (FA) in upper extremity motor function recovery in CSCI patients 3 months after surgery. Results:As compared with the healthy control group, the experimental group had significantly lower preoperative FA in the injury area and distal injury area, and statistically higher preoperative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC, P<0.05). In patients of the experimental group, preoperative FA in the injury area was significantly lower and ADC in the injury area was significantly higher as compared with those in the distal injury area ( P<0.05); patients of the experimental group had significantly higher FA in these two regions, upper extremity motor ASIA scores and mBI, and significantly lower ADC 3 months after surgery as compared with those 1 d before surgery ( P<0.05). The preoperative FA in the injury area and distal injury area in CSCI patients were positively correlated with preoperative upper extremity motor ASIA scores and upper extremity motor recovery rate 3 months after surgery ( P<0.05). ROC curve results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of preoperative FA in injury area in predicting upper extremity motor function recovery 3 months after surgery was 0.912 ( 95%CI: 0.783-1.000, P<0.001); that of preoperative FA in the distal injury area was 0.842 ( 95%CI: 0.682-1.000, P<0.001). Conclusion:DTI parameters FA and ADC are sensitive indicators for detecting CSCI; preoperative FA in the injury area and distal injury area can be used to predict the upper extremity motor function recovery, but the efficacy of the former is superior to that of the later.
RESUMEN
Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging has been developed to a kind of new imaging technology in recent years;through the nerve tissue diffusion properties of water molecules,it can quantitatively reflect the integrity of white matter fiber tracts and various kinds of pathological changes,thus achieving accurate evaluation of spinal cord injuries at the micro level.In this paper,the technology of magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging in the application of electroacupuncture treatment of spinal cord injuries and research progress are summarized and prospected.