Correlations of diffusion tensor imaging and clinical measures with spinal cord cross-sectional area measurements in pediatric spinal cord injury patients

Purpose The purpose of this work was to employ a semi-automatic method for measuring spinal cord cross-sectional area (SCCSA) and investigate the correlations between diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics and SCCSA for the cervical and thoracic spinal cord for typically developing pediatric subjects and pediatric subject with spinal cord injury. Methods Ten typically developing (TD) pediatric subjects and ten pediatric subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) were imaged using a Siemens Verio 3 T MR scanner to acquire DTI and high-resolution anatomic scans covering the cervical and thoracic spinal cord (C1-T12). SCCSA was measured using a semi-automated edge detection algorithm for the entire spinal cord. DTI metrics were obtained from whole cord axial ROIs at each vertebral level. SCCSA measures were compared to DTI metrics by vertebral level throughout the entire cord, and above and below the injury site. Correlation analysis was performed to compare SCCSA, DTI and clinical measures as determined by the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) examination. Results In subjects with SCI, FA and SCCSA had a positive correlation (r = 0.81, P < 0.01), while RD and SCCSA had a negative correlation (r = -0.68, P = 0.02) for the full spinal cord. FA and SCCSA were correlated above (r = 0.56, P < 0.01) and below (r = 0.54, P < 0.01) the injury site. TD subjects showed negative correlations between AD and SCCSA (r = -0.73, P = 0.01) and RD and SCCSA (r = -0.79, P < 0.01). Conclusion The ability to quickly and effectively measure SCCSA in subjects with SCI has the potential to allow for a better understanding of the progression of atrophy following a SCI. Correlations between cord cross section and DTI metrics by vertebral level suggest that imaging inferior and superior to lesion may yield useful information for diagnosis and prognosis.