Accuracy of Diffusion Tensor Imaging for Diagnosing Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy in Patients Showing Spinal Cord Compression

This study investigates the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to diagnose cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) in patients with spinal cord compression but without clear abnormalities on standard MRI. DTI measures parameters like mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) to assess the spinal cord's condition. The study compares the accuracy of these DTI parameters, alone and in combination, for diagnosing CSM. The research found that combining fractional anisotropy (FA) with MD, RD, or LD improved the ability to diagnose CSM in patients with spinal cord compression but without signal changes on conventional MRI.

• 1
  FA values were negatively correlated with the degree of central canal stenosis, while RD values showed a positive correlation.
• 2
  Mean FA values were significantly lower in patients with CSM compared to those without it.
• 3
  Combining FA with MD, RD, or LD improved the specificity of diagnosis compared to using FA or MD alone in patients with spinal cord compression and no signal changes on MRI.