Chen Nan MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Kun Cheng Li MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate the correlation between the biochemical changes in the motor cortex and the function recovery degree after incomplete spinal cord injury.

Forty patients with incomplete spinal cord injury resulting from physical trauma 256 to 718days before the day of MRS study was divided into grade B(12cases),C(13cases) and D(15cases) groups according to the American Spinal Injuries Association standard. Nine person with no history of neurological disease as control group. All group performed Proton MRS study. MRS data were collected from a plane at the level of the centrum semiovale by using a single voxel stimulated echo acquisition mode pulse sequence.The parameters were repetition time 1500ms; delay before data acquisition 130 ms;32 phase encoding steps giving 512 averages; a bandwidth of 1000 Hz.giving a nominal voxel size of 4.5 cm3.Spectral analysis was performed by using the linear combination model software , the N-acetylaspartate (NAA), compounds containing choline (Cho), creatine and phosphocreatine (Cr), the aspartate component of NAA(AspNAA), and glutamate and glutamine (Glx) were measured using the NMR1spectral processing program

the mean level of NAA ratio in the motor cortex of the patients of B,C,D group and the control group was 2.56±0.12,1.45±0.17,1.12±0.06,2.75±0.21, respectively. there was significant different among B,C,D group (D>B>C,P<0.05)); there was no significant between the D group and control group. NAA/Cr ratio was 18% lower (p<0.05) in the motor cortex of D group than in the control group,but, 43% and 52 higher (p<0.05) than in the B,C groups, respectively. there was no other metabolite levels differed between these regions in the patient group with spinal injury or between patient with spinal injury group and the control group.

NAA and NAA/Cr ratio are well correlation with the function recovery degree of spinal cord injury. MRS can evaluate the degree of functional recovery after spinal cord injury and can be the useful tool to monitor the prognosis.

MRS can evaluate the degree of functional recovery after spinal cord injury and can be the useful tool to monitor the prognosis.

Nan, C, Li, K, The Biochemical Changes in the Motor Cortex after Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: An Investigation Using Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H MRS).  Radiological Society of North America 2007 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2007 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2007/5003222.html