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MRI characterization of diffusion coefficients in a rat spinal cord injury model
Author(s) -
Ford John C.,
Hackney David B.,
Alsop David C.,
Jara Hernan,
Joseph Peter M.,
Hand Christopher M.,
Black Perry
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.1910310504
Subject(s) - white matter , spinal cord , spinal cord injury , cord , diffusion mri , effective diffusion coefficient , anatomy , nuclear medicine , medicine , transverse plane , magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance , physics , radiology , surgery , psychiatry
Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) were measured in a rat spinal cord weight‐drop injury model. After sacrifice, the spinal cords were fixed in situ and excised for MR imaging and ADC measurement. Diffusion is anisotropic in normal gray and white matter. There were significant decreases in ADCs measured along the longitudinal axis of the injured cord and increases in ADCs measured transverse to the cord. Injured segments demonstrated reductions in diffusion anisotropy in the white matter. Diffusion was completely isotropic at the epicenter of the weight‐drop injury. Significant decreases in longitudinal ADC and increases in transverse ADC were observed in portions of the cord which appeared normal on conventional spin‐echo and calculated T 2 images. Thus ADC measurement may complement routine imaging for evaluation of spinal cord injury.