title: Diffusion tensor imaging of the cervical spinal cord in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obtaining fast, reliable, high-resolution diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the pediatric cervical spinal cord (CSC) is challenging, given the multitude of technical limitations involved. Overcoming these limitations may further potentiate DTI as a valuable quantitative tool in evaluating the pediatric CSC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients (9 girls and 7 boys) with hypoxic brain injury, craniocervical junction malformations, and head trauma were included in this retrospective study. Region of interests were placed from C1-C2 through C7-T1 consecutively at the cervical intervertebral disc levels. DTI metrics were compared with a pediatric DTI database of healthy controls. Clinical background and outcomes were tabulated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with hypoxic brain injury, Chiari I and II malformations, and head trauma demonstrated lower fractional anisotropy values than that of healthy controls at certain cervical intervertebral disc levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DTI may be a promising modality for providing additional information beyond that of conventional magnetic resonance imaging in pediatric central nervous system disorders.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Neuroradiology, Division of Pediatric Radiology, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N Wolfe Street, Phipps B-126B, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Gunes
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orman
authors.forename: Kevin Yuqi
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ximin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Thierry A G M
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Huisman
authors.forename: Izlem
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Izbudak
mesh_terms: D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D066193:Cervical Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies