Utility of MRI in Quantifying Tissue Injury in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

Overview

Journal J Clin Med

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2023 May 13

PMID 37176777

Authors

Ali Fahim Khan

Grace Haynes

Esmaeil Mohammadi

Fauziyya Muhammad

Sanaa Hameed

Zachary A Smith

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a progressive disease that worsens over time if untreated. However, the rate of progression can vary among individuals and may be influenced by various factors, such as the age of the patients, underlying conditions, and the severity and location of the spinal cord compression. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can help slow the progression of CSM and improve symptoms. There has been an increased use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods in diagnosing and managing CSM. MRI methods provide detailed images and quantitative structural and functional data of the cervical spinal cord and brain, allowing for an accurate evaluation of the extent and location of tissue injury. This review aims to provide an understanding of the use of MRI methods in interrogating functional and structural changes in the central nervous system in CSM. Further, we identified several challenges hindering the clinical utility of these neuroimaging methods.

Citing Articles

Deep learning models for MRI-based clinical decision support in cervical spine degenerative diseases.

Li K, Lu Z, Tian Y, Liu X, Zhang Y, Qiu J Front Neurosci. 2024; 18:1501972.

PMID: 39712220 PMC: 11659285. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1501972.

Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: History, Physical Examination, and Diagnosis.

Balmaceno-Criss M, Singh M, Daher M, Buchbinder R, Diebo B, Daniels A J Clin Med. 2024; 13(23).

PMID: 39685599 PMC: 11642449. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13237139.

The apparent diffusion coefficient based on small-field DWI is superior to T2-weighted imaging in evaluating neurological dysfunction of degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Tian X, Li S, Zhao B, Wang N, Gao T, Zhang L Eur Spine J. 2024; 33(10):3949-3956.

PMID: 39230719 DOI: 10.1007/s00586-024-08411-6.

Cervical spinal cord morphometrics in degenerative cervical myelopathy: quantification using semi-automated normalized technique and correlation with neurological dysfunctions.

Muhammad F, Weber K, Bedard S, Haynes G, Smith L, Khan A Spine J. 2024; 24(11):2045-2057.

PMID: 39038658 PMC: 11527586. DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2024.07.002.

Assessing the predictive capability of machine learning models in determining clinical outcomes for patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy treated with laminectomy and posterior spinal fusion.

Alimohammadi E, Fatahi E, Abdi A, Bagheri S Patient Saf Surg. 2024; 18(1):21.

PMID: 38844999 PMC: 11155139. DOI: 10.1186/s13037-024-00403-1.

References

Yone K, Sakou T, Yanase M, Ijiri K . Preoperative and postoperative magnetic resonance image evaluations of the spinal cord in cervical myelopathy. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1992; 17(10 Suppl):S388-92. DOI: 10.1097/00007632-199210001-00008. View

Karpova A, Arun R, Davis A, Kulkarni A, Mikulis D, Sooyong C . Reliability of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging methods in the assessment of spinal canal stenosis and cord compression in cervical myelopathy. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2012; 38(3):245-52. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3182672307. View

Fehlings M, Wilson J, Yoon S, Rhee J, Shamji M, Lawrence B . Symptomatic progression of cervical myelopathy and the role of nonsurgical management: a consensus statement. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2013; 38(22 Suppl 1):S19-20. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3182a7f4de. View

Witte M, Schumacher A, Mahler C, Bewersdorf J, Lehmitz J, Scheiter A . Calcium Influx through Plasma-Membrane Nanoruptures Drives Axon Degeneration in a Model of Multiple Sclerosis. Neuron. 2019; 101(4):615-624.e5. PMC: 6389591. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.12.023. View

Fehlings M, Tetreault L, Nater A, Choma T, Harrop J, Mroz T . The Aging of the Global Population: The Changing Epidemiology of Disease and Spinal Disorders. Neurosurgery. 2015; 77 Suppl 4:S1-5. DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0000000000000953. View

Hrabalek L, Hok P, Hlustik P, Cechakova E, Wanek T, Otruba P . Longitudinal brain activation changes related to electrophysiological findings in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy before and after spinal cord decompression: an fMRI study. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2018; 160(5):923-932. DOI: 10.1007/s00701-018-3520-1. View

Oshima Y, Seichi A, Takeshita K, Chikuda H, Ono T, Baba S . Natural course and prognostic factors in patients with mild cervical spondylotic myelopathy with increased signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2012; 37(22):1909-13. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e318259a65b. View

Tetreault L, Kopjar B, Nouri A, Arnold P, Barbagallo G, Bartels R . The modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scale: establishing criteria for mild, moderate and severe impairment in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy. Eur Spine J. 2016; 26(1):78-84. DOI: 10.1007/s00586-016-4660-8. View

Abdel-Aziz K, Solanky B, Yiannakas M, Altmann D, Wheeler-Kingshott C, Thompson A . Age related changes in metabolite concentrations in the normal spinal cord. PLoS One. 2014; 9(10):e105774. PMC: 4195602. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105774. View

10.

Figley C, Stroman P . Investigation of human cervical and upper thoracic spinal cord motion: implications for imaging spinal cord structure and function. Magn Reson Med. 2007; 58(1):185-189. DOI: 10.1002/mrm.21260. View

11.

Jutten K, Mainz V, Schubert G, Gohmann R, Schmidt T, Ridwan H . Cortical volume reductions as a sign of secondary cerebral and cerebellar impairment in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy. Neuroimage Clin. 2021; 30:102624. PMC: 8025145. DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102624. View

12.

Kornelsen J, Stroman P . Detection of the neuronal activity occurring caudal to the site of spinal cord injury that is elicited during lower limb movement tasks. Spinal Cord. 2007; 45(7):485-90. DOI: 10.1038/sj.sc.3102019. View

13.

Smith S, Golay X, Fatemi A, Mahmood A, Raymond G, Moser H . Quantitative magnetization transfer characteristics of the human cervical spinal cord in vivo: application to adrenomyeloneuropathy. Magn Reson Med. 2008; 61(1):22-7. PMC: 2632947. DOI: 10.1002/mrm.21827. View

14.

Cooke F, Blamire A, Manners D, Styles P, Rajagopalan B . Quantitative proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the cervical spinal cord. Magn Reson Med. 2004; 51(6):1122-8. DOI: 10.1002/mrm.20084. View

15.

Cohen-Adad J, El Mendili M, Lehericy S, Pradat P, Blancho S, Rossignol S . Demyelination and degeneration in the injured human spinal cord detected with diffusion and magnetization transfer MRI. Neuroimage. 2011; 55(3):1024-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.11.089. View

16.

Kong Y, Eippert F, Beckmann C, Andersson J, Finsterbusch J, Buchel C . Intrinsically organized resting state networks in the human spinal cord. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014; 111(50):18067-72. PMC: 4273395. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1414293111. View

17.

Weber 2nd K, Chen Y, Wang X, Kahnt T, Parrish T . Lateralization of cervical spinal cord activity during an isometric upper extremity motor task with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Neuroimage. 2015; 125:233-243. PMC: 4691376. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.10.014. View

18.

Arvin B, Kalsi-Ryan S, Karpova A, Mercier D, Furlan J, Massicotte E . Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging can predict neurological recovery after surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a prospective study with blinded assessments. Neurosurgery. 2011; 69(2):362-8. DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e31821a418c. View

19.

Grabher P, Mohammadi S, David G, Freund P . Neurodegeneration in the Spinal Ventral Horn Prior to Motor Impairment in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy. J Neurotrauma. 2017; 34(15):2329-2334. DOI: 10.1089/neu.2017.4980. View

20.

Farrell J, Zhang J, Jones M, DeBoy C, Hoffman P, Landman B . q-space and conventional diffusion imaging of axon and myelin damage in the rat spinal cord after axotomy. Magn Reson Med. 2010; 63(5):1323-35. PMC: 2862595. DOI: 10.1002/mrm.22389. View