title: Longitudinal three-dimensional-T2WI-SPACE study on wallerian degeneration in cat corticospinal tract and underlying pathology changes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility of T2W-SPACE technique in early detection of WD, the signal evolutions of degenerated corticospinal tract (CST) on T2W-SPACE, and their underlying pathological changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The WD model of the CST was established in 23 cats through excision of cortical origins of the tract. Eight cats were scanned with the T2W-SPACE technique at 8 sequential time points, i.e. 0 (before modeling), 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20 and 30 days after modeling, and then they were pathologically examined. The remaining 15 cats (3 per group) also underwent pathological examination at 2, 4, 6, 10 and 20 days after modeling, respectively. The ratios of T2 signal intensity (rT2s) between the affected and unaffected sides of CST were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the first 4 days, SPACE could not detect any significant changes of the affected CST, although axonal degeneration was pathologically observed at the second day. From 6 to 10 days, the rT2s decreased monotonously, which is corresponded to histological findings of myelin degeneration and phagocyte proliferation. From 10 to 20 days, rT2s kept relatively stable at a low level and started to recover after that; the pathological changes of this period was characterized by marked phagocytizing activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SPACE technique can detect Wallerian degeneration at an early stage, and the signal evolution is consistent with the pathological processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.|Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yueshan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Animal, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Deyu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Animal, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zixin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Animal, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.|Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Kuncheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Chunshui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D014855:Wallerian Degeneration / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Corticospinal tract; SPACE; T2 weighted; Wallerian degeneration; variable flip angle