Evaluation of diffusion tensor imaging in foraminal cervical nerve and fiber bundle reconstruction in patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.

PURPOSE: To quantitatively evaluate the compressed nerve in patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) by MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion tensor tractography (DTT).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

DTI and DTT were performed in 60 patients and 20 volunteers with a 3.0-T MR. The resultant fractional anisotropy (FA) values and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for C5-C7 cervical nerve roots were calculated at three sub-regions and DTT was also performed on C5-C7 nerve roots. Assessment of sensory and motor function in patients was undertaken using modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scoring system.

RESULTS

The FA values were significantly lower at the symptomatic side than those at the asymptomatic side (p < 0.05). The mJOA score was correlated with the FA values significantly of the compressed nerves at proximal sub-region (R2 = 0.393, p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis revealed that FA values could identify nerve root compression at three sub-regions. DTT could visually display the abnormalities of compressed nerve roots, including the decreased of FA values, twisted, sparse, or interrupted nerve roots in patients with CSR.

CONCLUSION

MR DTI and DTT provided effective means for quantitatively evaluating the compressed nerve in patients with CSR.