Can microstructural MRI detect subclinical tissue injury in subjects with asymptomatic cervical spinal cord compression? A prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) involves extrinsic spinal cord compression causing tissue injury and neurological dysfunction. Asymptomatic spinal cord compression (ASCC) is more common, but its significance is poorly defined. This study investigates if: (1) ASCC can be automatically diagnosed using spinal cord shape analysis; (2) multiparametric quantitative MRI can detect similar spinal cord tissue injury as previously observed in DCM.

Design

Prospective observational longitudinal cohort study.

Setting

Single centre, tertiary care and research institution.

Participants

40 neurologically intact subjects (19 female, 21 male) divided into groups with and without ASCC.

Interventions

None.

Outcome measures

Clinical assessments: modi

SUBMITTER: Martin AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5905727 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature