title: Functional MR imaging of the cervical spinal cord by use of 20Hz functional electrical stimulation to median nerve.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Functional MR imaging of the human cervical spinal cord was carried out on volunteers by 20Hz functional electrical stimulation to median nerve, in order to detect signal changes arising concomitant to neuronal activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Functional MR imaging data were acquired in six subjects with single-shot fast spin-echo sequence (SSFSE) on a 1.5T GE Clinical System. Cervical spinal cord activation was measured both in the sagittal and transverse imaging planes. Postprocessing was performed by AFNI (Analysis of Functional Neuroimages) software system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Activation correlated with the time course of stimulation was consistently detected in both sagittal and transverse imaging planes of the cervical spinal cord. Regions of the spinal cord associated with motor and pain response were observed by 20Hz functional electrical stimulation to the median nerve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The functional MR imaging signal can be detected in the human cervical spinal cord with functional electrical stimulation. Investigating the FES response in the spinal cord using the spinal fMRI will be helpful for the further discussion on the diagnosis and functional recovery to spinal cord diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital to Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China 515041.
authors.forename: Chu-hai
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Kang-mei
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Ji-tian
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Ye-xi
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ren-hua
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*