Independent spinal cord atrophy measures correlate to motor and sensory deficits in individuals with spinal cord injury.
METHODS
Cross-sectional descriptive analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical outcome.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to present anatomically consistent and independent spinal cord atrophy measures based on standard MRI material and analyze their specific relations to sensory and motor outcome in individuals with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI).


METHODS
Danish study on human SCI.


METHODS
We included 19 individuals with chronic incomplete SCI and 16 healthy controls. Participants underwent MRI and a neurological examination including sensory testing for light touch and pinprick, and muscle strength. Antero-posterior width (APW), left-right width (LRW) and cross-sectional spinal cord area (SCA) were extracted from MRI at the spinal level of C2. The angular variation of the spinal cord radius over the full circle was also extracted and compared with the clinical scores.


RESULTS
The motor score was correlated to LRW and the sensory scores were correlated to APW. The scores correlated also well with decreases in spinal cord radius in oblique angles in coherent and non-overlapping sectors for the sensory and motor qualities respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
APW and LRW can be used to assess sensory and motor function independently. The finding is corresponding well with the respective locations of the main sensory and motor pathways.
Lundell
H
H
Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. lundell@drcmr.dk
Barthelemy
D
D
Skimminge
A
A
Dyrby
T B
TB
Biering-Sørensen
F
F
Nielsen
J B
JB
D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*