Diffusion tensor imaging in IVDD

VRU 63(6) 753-762

Author

Ryan Appleby
June 02, 2023

Study: The study is a retrospective, methods comparison, observational study that aimed to compare DTI measurements acquired using manual (mROI) versus semiautomated ROI (sROI) methods and to compare DTI measurements with patient outcomes. Magnetic resonance imaging scans that included DTI pulse sequences were retrieved for 65 dogs with confirmed IVDH.

Methods: Regions of interest were placed at one vertebral length cranial and caudal to the region of spinal cord compression (RSCC) using the mROI and sROI methods. Scalar values based on the mROI and sROI methods were compared. There was a significant difference for all DTI measures (P < 0.0001), where fractional anisotropy was higher (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15, 0.19) and mean diffusivity (MD; CI: −0.41, −0.35), axial diffusivity (AD; CI: −0.47, −0.36) and radial diffusivity (RD; CI: −0.36, −0.27) were lower for the mROI than for the sROI.

Results: For both the mROI and sROI, MD, AD, and RD were significantly lower (p < 0.05) at the RSCC in paraplegic dogs that did not regain motor function. The findings indicated that DTI methods for quantifying SCI using open source software and ROI were feasible for use in dogs with IVDH; however, values based on sROI methods differed from values based on mROI methods. Some DTI measures based on both the mROI and sROI methods were predictive of poor patient outcome.

Conclusion: The conclusion is that DTI methods for quantifying SCI using open source software and ROI were feasible for use in dogs with IVDH; however, values based on sROI methods differed from values based on mROI methods. Some DTI measures based on both the mROI and sROI methods were predictive of poor patient outcome.

Example of MRI (A, B), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI, C), and fractional anisotropy (D). A, T2-weighted sagittal image of a C2-3 intervertebral disc herniation. The asterisk indicates where transverse images (B–D) were taken. B, T2-weighted transverse at C2-3. C, Registered DTI at the level of C2-3. D, Colored FA map at the level of C2-3 with the spinal cord indicated in blue

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