Spinal cord demyelination predicts neurological deterioration in patients with mild degenerative cervical myelopathy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is the most common form of atraumatic spinal cord injury globally. Clinical guidelines regarding surgery for patients with mild DCM and minimal symptoms remain uncertain. This study aims to identify imaging and clinical predictors of neurological deterioration in mild DCM and explore pathophysiological correlates to guide clinical decision-making.

Methods

Patients with mild DCM underwent advanced MRI scans that included T2-weighted, diffusion tensor imaging and magnetisation transfer (MT) sequences, along with clinical outcome measures at baseline and 6-month intervals after enrolment. Quantitative MRI (qMRI) metrics were derived above and below maximally compressed cervical levels (MCCLs). Various machine learning (ML) model

SUBMITTER: Al-Shawwa A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11792293 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature