Tractography of lumbar nerve roots: initial results.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this preliminary study were to demonstrate the feasibility of in vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and fibre tracking (FT) of the lumbar nerve roots, and to assess potential differences in the DTI parameters of the lumbar nerves between healthy volunteers and patients suffering from disc herniation.


METHODS
Nineteen patients with unilateral sciatica related to posterolateral or foraminal disc herniation and 19 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. DTI with tractography of the L5 or S1 nerves was performed. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values were calculated from tractography images.


RESULTS
FA and MD values could be obtained from DTI-FT images in all controls and patients. The mean FA value of the compressed lumbar nerve roots was significantly lower than the FA of the contralateral nerve roots (p = 0.0001) and of the nerve roots of volunteers (p = 0.0001). MD was significantly higher in compressed nerve roots than in the contralateral nerve root (p = 0.0002) and in the nerve roots of volunteers (p = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
DTI with tractography of the lumbar nerves is possible. Significant changes in diffusion parameters were found in the compressed lumbar nerves.
Service de Radiologie et d'Imagerie musculo-squelettique, Hôpital Roger Salengro, CHRU de Lille Rue Emile Laine, 59037, Lille Cedex, France. vinz.balbi@yahoo.fr
Vincent
V
Balbi
Jean-François
JF
Budzik
Alain
A
Duhamel
Anne
A
Bera-Louville
Vianney
V
Le Thuc
Anne
A
Cotten
D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000473:pathology*
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