title: Age-related changes of the diffusion tensor imaging parameters of the normal cervical spinal cord.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters of the cervical spinal cord (CSC) changes with age. However, previous studies only examined specific CSC areas.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the DTI parameters in all intervertebral space levels of the whole normal CSC and to study the impact of age on these parameters in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six healthy subjects aged 20-77 years were recruited. DTI parameters were calculated for gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) funiculi in all the CSC intervertebral spaces (C1/2-C6/7). Age-related changes of DTI parameters were analyzed for the GM and WM funiculi.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were lower in GM than in WM. MD and FA values were lower in the WM in the lower CSC compared with the upper CSC (all P<0.05), but no difference was observed in GM. In ventral funiculi, MD increased with age, while FA decreased (all P<0.001). In lateral and dorsal funiculi, MD and FA decreased with age (all P<0.001). In GM, MD and FA decreased with age (all P<0.001). Significant age-related changes were observed in FA and MD from GM and WM funiculi. FA was correlated with age in all funiculi (ventral: r=-0.733; lateral: r=-0.468; dorsal: r=-0.607; GM: r=-0.724; all P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Important changes in MD and FA were observed with advancing age at all levels of CSC in Chinese patients. DTI parameters may be useful to assess CSC pathology, but the influence of age and segments need to be taken into account in diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, Changhai Hospital Affiliated to Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: medsciwangkun@126.com.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, Changhai Hospital Affiliated to Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Qingxin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, Changhai Hospital Affiliated to Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, Changhai Hospital Affiliated to Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, Changhai Hospital Affiliated to Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Canglong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, Changhai Hospital Affiliated to Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yixing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Changhai Hospital Affiliated to Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shiyue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Changhai Hospital Affiliated to Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: haoqiang@189.cn.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, Changhai Hospital Affiliated to Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: shenhxgk@126.com.
authors.forename: Hongxing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D066193:Cervical Cord / Q000502:physiology; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D066127:White Matter; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Apparent diffusion coefficient; Cervical spinal cord; Diffusion tensor imaging; Fractional anisotropy; Intervertebral space; Magnetic resonance imaging