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Stimulated echo diffusion tensor imaging and SPAIR T 2 ‐weighted imaging in chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the lower leg muscles
Author(s) -
Sigmund Eric E.,
Sui Dabang,
Ukpebor Obehi,
Baete Steven,
Fieremans Els,
Babb James S.,
Mechlin Michael,
Liu Kecheng,
Kwon Jane,
Mcgorty KellyAnne,
Hodnett Philip A.,
Bencardino Jenny
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.24060
Subject(s) - fractional anisotropy , diffusion mri , medicine , nuclear medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , cardiology , radiology
Purpose To evaluate the performance of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the evaluation of chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) as compared to T 2 ‐weighted (T2w) imaging. Materials and Methods Using an Institutional Review Board (IRB)‐approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)‐compliant protocol, spectral adiabatic inversion recovery (SPAIR) T2w imaging and stimulated echo DTI were applied to eight healthy volunteers and 14 suspected CECS patients before and after exertion. Longitudinal and transverse diffusion eigenvalues, mean diffusivity (MD), and fractional anisotropy (FA) were measured in seven calf muscle compartments, which in patients were classified by their response on T2w: normal (<20% change), and CECS (>20% change). Mixed model analysis of variance compared subject groups and compartments in terms of response factors (post/pre‐exercise ratios) of DTI parameters. Results All diffusivities significantly increased ( P < 0.0001) and FA decreased ( P = 0.0014) with exercise. Longitudinal diffusion responses were significantly smaller than transversal diffusion responses ( P < 0.0001). Nineteen of 98 patient compartments were classified as CECS on T2w. MD increased by 3.8 ± 3.4% (volunteer), 7.4 ± 4.2% (normal), and 9.1 ± 7.0% (CECS) with exercise. Conclusion DTI shows promise as an ancillary imaging method in the diagnosis and understanding of the pathophysiology in CECS. Future studies may explore its utility in predicting response to treatment. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;38:1073–1082. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.