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Abstract #1619

Early-stage structural and biochemical changes in cervical spinal cord after sensory nerve root injury revealed by multi-parametric MRI

Feng Wang1,2, John C. Gore1,2,3, and Li Min Chen1,2
1Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States, 2Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States, 3Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States

Synopsis

Keywords: Spinal Cord, Quantitative Imaging, spinal cord, dorsal nerve root lesion

Motivation: We hypothesize that dorsal nerve root injury induces inflammation-associated axonal degeneration in the adjacent regions in intact spinal cord.

Goal(s): Our primary objective is to comprehensively evaluate early-stage regional changes in the cervical spinal cord of non-human primates following a unilateral injury to dorsal nerve root bundles of C4 and C5 segments.

Approach: Diffusion, quantitative magnetization transfer, and chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI provide specific metrics for assessing structural and biochemical changes post-injury.

Results: Results show secondary damage in the adjacent dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) and altered local fiber orientations after dorsal nerve root injury.

Impact: Multi-parametric MRI offers sensitive and specific metrics for assessing changes within the spinal cord after sensory nerve root injury. Our findings reveal the early-stage structural and biochemical alterations at the damaged nerve roots and the adjacent dorsal root entry zone.

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