title: Diffusion tensor imaging of white and grey matter within the spinal cord of normal Beagle dogs: Sub-regional differences of the various diffusion parameters.
abstract: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an advanced diffusion weighted imaging technique that can identify early stage lesions and Wallerian degeneration within the spinal cord; these changes are difficult to recognise on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The only DTI parameters previously investigated in dogs are fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity (MD). The aim of this study was to evaluate multiple DTI parameters in sub-regional areas of the spinal cord in normal Beagles. All imaging data were obtained from the lumbar spinal cord (L1-L3) of ten normal dogs using a 3 Tesla MRI scanner. Transverse multi-shot echo planar imaging sequences (b values = 0 and 800 s/mm(2); 12 directions) were used for DTI. Regions of interest were selected from sub-regions of the white and grey matter, and from the whole spinal cord, in the transverse plane in all DTI maps. The DTI parameters in spinal cord sub-regions in the transverse plane were significantly different amongst the white matter, grey matter and whole spinal cord (P < 0.05 for all DTI parameters except MD), as well as between white matter sub-regions (P < 0.05 for most DTI parameters except radial diffusivity, MD and planar index). DTI-based sub-regional analysis of white and grey matter may be useful for regional evaluation of the dog spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, 120, Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hakyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, 120, Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Noh-Won
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, 120, Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, 120, Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jaehwan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, 120, Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, 120, Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, South Korea. Electronic address: eomkd@konkuk.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kidong
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eom
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D066127:White Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
keywords: Canine; Diffusion tensor imaging; Grey matter; Spinal cord; White matter