Ann Rehabil Med, 2022 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.5535/arm.22053 · Published: August 31, 2022
This study investigates the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography to predict outcomes after traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). It aims to determine if the timing of DTI, whether before or after surgery, affects its predictive accuracy. The study randomly assigned patients with cervical SCI to either a pre-operative (preop) or post-operative (postop) group to receive DTI scans. A follow-up group received repeated DTI examinations after 8 weeks. The findings suggest that preoperative DTI and tractography provide better data quality, while postoperative data more accurately reflects the patient’s clinical state at the time of evaluation. DTI and tractography could be useful in predicting clinical outcomes.
DTI and tractography can aid in predicting patient outcomes after cervical SCI.
The timing of DTI (pre- or post-surgery) influences the type of information obtained and its correlation with clinical status.
Combining DTI with physical examinations enhances the accuracy of outcome predictions.