title: Stimulated echo diffusion tensor imaging and SPAIR T2 -weighted imaging in chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the lower leg muscles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the performance of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the evaluation of chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) as compared to T2 -weighted (T2w) imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant protocol, spectral adiabatic inversion recovery (SPAIR) T2w imaging and stimulated echo DTI were applied to eight healthy volunteers and 14 suspected CECS patients before and after exertion. Longitudinal and transverse diffusion eigenvalues, mean diffusivity (MD), and fractional anisotropy (FA) were measured in seven calf muscle compartments, which in patients were classified by their response on T2w: normal (<20% change), and CECS (>20% change). Mixed model analysis of variance compared subject groups and compartments in terms of response factors (post/pre-exercise ratios) of DTI parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All diffusivities significantly increased (P < 0.0001) and FA decreased (P = 0.0014) with exercise. Longitudinal diffusion responses were significantly smaller than transversal diffusion responses (P < 0.0001). Nineteen of 98 patient compartments were classified as CECS on T2w. MD increased by 3.8 ± 3.4% (volunteer), 7.4 ± 4.2% (normal), and 9.1 ± 7.0% (CECS) with exercise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DTI shows promise as an ancillary imaging method in the diagnosis and understanding of the pathophysiology in CECS. Future studies may explore its utility in predicting response to treatment.
authors: Department of Radiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors: Eric E
authors: EE
authors: Sigmund
authors: Dabang
authors: D
authors: Sui
authors: Obehi
authors: O
authors: Ukpebor
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Baete
authors: Els
authors: E
authors: Fieremans
authors: James S
authors: JS
authors: Babb
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Mechlin
authors: Kecheng
authors: K
authors: Liu
authors: Jane
authors: J
authors: Kwon
authors: KellyAnne
authors: K
authors: McGorty
authors: Philip A
authors: PA
authors: Hodnett
authors: Jenny
authors: J
authors: Bencardino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007866:Leg / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D005082:Physical Exertion; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: DTI; chronic exertional compartment syndrome; exercise; skeletal muscle; stimulated echo