Abstract
Purpose:
To use spinal cord diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for investigating human cervical funiculi, acquire axial diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data with an in‐plane resolution sufficient to delineate subquadrants within the spinal cord, obtain corresponding DTI metrics, and assess potential regional differences.
Materials and Methods:
Healthy volunteers were studied with a 3 T Siemens Trio MRI scanner. DTI data were acquired using a single‐shot spin echo EPI sequence. The spatial resolution allowed for the delineation of regions of interest (ROIs) in the ventral, dorsal, and lateral spinal cord funiculi. ROI‐based and tractography‐based analyses were performed.
Results:
Significant fractional anisotropy (FA) differences were found between ROIs in the dorsal and ventral funiculi (P = 0.0001), dorsal and lateral funiculi (P = 0.015), and lateral and ventral funiculi (P = 0.0002). Transverse diffusivity was significantly different between ROIs in the ventral and dorsal funiculi (P = 0.003) and the ventral and lateral funiculi (P = 0.004). Tractography‐based quantifications revealed DTI parameter regional differences that were generally consistent with the ROI‐based analysis.
Conclusion:
Original contributions are: 1) the use of a tractography‐based method to quantify DTI metrics in the human cervical spinal cord, and 2) reported DTI values in various funiculi at 3 T. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010;31:829–837. ©2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.