Diffusion tensor imaging of lumbar spinal nerve in subjects with XXXX .

@entity1 @entity1643 @entity2649 @entity179 @entity850 @entity528
UNASSIGNED: Recently several authors have reported that diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) might provide a new understanding of sciatica. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical feasibility of DTI for the evaluation of lumbar spinal nerve of @entity1 with sciatica associated with @entity179 . Thirty-four @entity1 (25 @entity1 , mean age63. 3years) with @entity528 , 14 @entity1 with @entity2649 with @entity850 , 12 with @entity2649 without @entity850 , five with @entity1643 , and one with spondylolysis who underwent 3.0T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and surgical treatment were included in the present study. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was calculated from an FA map, and tractography was investigated. In asymptomatic nerves, tractography showed all L3-S1 spinal nerve roots clearly. Abnormalities of tractography were classified into three types by shape; "Disrupted", "Narrowing", and "Tapering". More abnormalities of tractography were found in @entity1 with @entity2649 , and especially in @entity1 with @entity850 . The disrupted type was the most common. The mean FA of entrapped symptomatic nerves was less than seen on the intact side. This study demonstrates that tractography shows abnormal findings for nerve roots in lumbar spinal degeneration and that FA decreases in symptomatic roots. DTI may offer not only morphological evaluation, but also quantitative evaluation. We believe that DTI can be used as a tool for the diagnosis of lumbar @entity179 .
