Article

Only few studies have been published about diffusion-weighted
imaging (DWI) within 24 h of traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). The purpose of this study was to compare the imaging findings from conventional
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DWI in seven tSCI patients with findings in
the existing literature. METHODS: Seven patients with tSCI at neurologic levels
C2-T10 were examined with conventional MRI and DWI within 24 h post-injury. DWI
was obtained with a b-factor of 1000 s mm(-2). American Spinal Injury Association
(ASIA) scores and Spinal Cord Independence Measurement (SCIM) II item 12 after 12
months were collected. In addition, MEDLINE was searched from 1995 to 2010 to
identify clinical tSCI studies reporting on MRI, DWI and apparent diffusion
coefficient maps within 24 h post-injury to perform a meta-analysis. Images
obtained with a b-factor of 1000 s mm(-2) were compared with lower b-factors.
Differences were calculated using chi (2) tests. RESULTS: No associations were
identified between the images of the seven tSCI patients and ASIA or SCIM II
scores. Eighteen SCI patients (11 from the retrieved publications) were included
in the meta-analysis. The detection rates of hyperintense signals on T2-weighted
and DW imaging did not show significant differences at 94 and 72%, respectively.
In addition, there were no significant differences in detection rates or
diffusion abnormalities between subjects in whom DW images were obtained with a
maximum b-factor of 1000 or <1000 s mm(-2). CONCLUSION: Our analysis suggests
that T2-weighted and DW imaging have comparable detection rates for spinal cord
damage in tSCI patients within 24 h post-injury.

Langue : ANGLAIS