Noninvasive diffusion tensor imaging of evolving white matter pathology in a mouse model of acute spinal cord injury.
We examined in vivo measurements of directional diffusivity derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to study the evolution of ventrolateral white matter (VWM) changes following contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) in C57BL/6 mice at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days postinjury. Relative anisotropy maps provided excellent gray matter (GM)/white matter (WM) contrast for characterization of evolving WM injury at all time points. Longitudinal DTI measurements clearly demonstrated rostral-caudal injury asymmetry. Axial diffusivity provided a sensitive, noninvasive measure of axonal integrity within the injury epicenter and at remote levels. Quantitative measurements of axial and radial diffusivities in VWM showed a trend of acute primary axonal injury followed by delayed, subacute myelin damage at the impact site, with good histological correlation.
Kim
Joong Hee
JH
Department of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Loy
David N
DN
Liang
Hsiao-Fang
HF
Trinkaus
Kathryn
K
Schmidt
Robert E
RE
Song
Sheng-Kwei
SK
D000208:Acute Disease; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology