SSFSE sequence functional MRI of the human cervical spinal cord with complex finger tapping.
OBJECTIVE
Functional MR imaging of the human cervical spinal cord was carried out on volunteers during alternated rest and a complex finger tapping task, in order to detect image intensity changes arising from neuronal activity.


METHODS
Functional MR imaging data using single-shot fast spin-echo sequence (SSFSE) with echo time 42.4 ms on a 1.5 T GE Clinical System were acquired in eight subjects performing a complex finger tapping task. 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
Intensity changes (5.5-7.6%) were correlated with the time course of stimulation and were consistently detected in both sagittal and transverse imaging planes of the cervical spinal cord. The activated regions localized to the ipsilateral side of the spinal cord in agreement with the neural anatomy.


CONCLUSIONS
Functional MR imaging signals can be reliably detected with finger tapping activity in the human cervical spinal cord using a SSFSE sequence with 42.4 ms echo time. The anatomic location of neural activity correlates with the muscles used in the finger tapping task.
Xie
Chu-hai
CH
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital to Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, China. xiechuhai@hotmail.com
Kong
Kang-mei
KM
Guan
Ji-tian
JT
Chen
Ye-xi
YX
He
Jian-kang
JK
Qi
Wei-li
WL
Wang
Xin-jia
XJ
Shen
Zhi-wei
ZW
Wu
Ren-hua
RH
D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*