title: Predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging in cervical spondylotic myelopathy in prognostic surgical outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Establish the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for cervical spondylotic myelopathy as being a good operative outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of the 52 consecutive patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy underwent both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cervical spines examination at Siriraj Hospital between January 2005 and June 2007. Surgery was divided into two groups: "Good" operative outcome (35 patients) and "No improvement group" (17 patients). Two neuroradiologists independently identified the MR images data that showed the maximum stenosis on sagittal and axial sections and recorded predictive MRL parameters: T2-weighted signal change of the spinal cord, cross-sectional area of the spinal cord, anteroposterior (AP) diameter of the spinal canal and the spinal cord and AP-compression ratio (AP diameter/transverse diameter of the spinal cord).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences between both groups in all parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AP-diameter of the spinal canal and spinal cord, AP-compression ratio and signal change of the spinal cord are not useful in predicting prognosis outcome in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy. In addition, cross-sectional area of the spinal cord cannot confidentially be used as predictive factor in CSM patients due to many influent factors of surgical outcome. A further prospective study without patient selective bias may offer more definite results to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Division of Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. pipat8999@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Pipat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiewvit
authors.forename: Siri-on
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Tritrakarn
authors.forename: Anchalee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Phawjinda
authors.forename: Areesak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chotivichit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome