Article

Cross-sectional descriptive analysis of magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) and clinical outcome. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to present
anatomically consistent and independent spinal cord atrophy measures based on
standard MRI material and analyze their specific relations to sensory and motor
outcome in individuals with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING:
Danish study on human SCI. METHODS: We included 19 individuals with chronic
incomplete SCI and 16 healthy controls. Participants underwent MRI and a
neurological examination including sensory testing for light touch and pinprick,
and muscle strength. Antero-posterior width (APW), left-right width (LRW) and
cross-sectional spinal cord area (SCA) were extracted from MRI at the spinal
level of C2. The angular variation of the spinal cord radius over the full circle
was also extracted and compared with the clinical scores. RESULTS: The motor
score was correlated to LRW and the sensory scores were correlated to APW. The
scores correlated also well with decreases in spinal cord radius in oblique
angles in coherent and non-overlapping sectors for the sensory and motor
qualities respectively. CONCLUSION: APW and LRW can be used to assess sensory and
motor function independently. The finding is corresponding well with the
respective locations of the main sensory and motor pathways.

Langue : ANGLAIS