Method for Simultaneous Voxel-Based Morphometry of the Brain and Cervical Spinal Cord Area Measurements Using 3D-MDEFT

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 2010 · DOI: 10.1002/jmri.22340 · Published: November 1, 2010

Simple Explanation

This study investigates whether a specific MRI technique, called 3D-MDEFT, can be used to reliably measure both brain structure and the cross-sectional area of the spinal cord. Researchers compared the spinal cord area measurements obtained with the 3D-MDEFT method to those obtained with a standard MRI technique (3D-MPRAGE) in healthy individuals and those with spinal cord injuries. The study found that the 3D-MDEFT method provides robust and unbiased measurements of the spinal cord area, similar to the standard technique, while also providing information about brain structure.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

10 controls and eight subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The 3D-MDEFT approach showed similar precision to standard methods for scan-rescan reproducibility of spinal cord area (SCA) measurements.
2
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a main effect of observer and interaction between observer and scan protocol that could be primarily attributed to a small observer bias for MPRAGE.
3
No bias was observed for 3D-MDEFT vs. 3D-MPRAGE.

Research Summary

The study aimed to determine if a 3D-MDEFT sequence, typically used for brain morphometry, could also provide reliable measures of spinal cord cross-sectional area (SCA). Images of the brain and cervical cord were acquired using 3D-MDEFT on controls and SCI subjects and compared to the standard 3D-MPRAGE with a dedicated spine coil. The study concluded that the 3D-MDEFT method allows for a robust, unbiased assessment of SCA in addition to providing brain morphology information, shortening overall scan time and avoiding repositioning of the subject.

Practical Implications

Reduced Scan Time

The 3D-MDEFT method shortens overall scan time compared to separate acquisitions for brain and spinal cord imaging.

Comprehensive Assessment

The proposed method facilitates the comprehensive assessment of morphological changes in both the brain and cervical spinal cord with a single imaging protocol.

Clinical Utility

The method can be used to assess atrophy in SCI and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Study Limitations

1
The scan-rescan CV was increased for the MDEFT method compared to the standard MPRAGE approach, potentially requiring larger sample sizes to detect subtle changes.
2
The C2 region was relatively far from the gradient isocenter in MDEFT scans, potentially exacerbating gradient nonlinearity effects.
3
The study design did not aim to quantify how much sequence type/contrast or coil type influenced the quality of SCA measurements.

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