Diffusion tensor imaging with quantitative evaluation and fiber tractography of lumbar nerve roots in XXXX .

@entity1 @entity13549 @entity614 @entity2850
OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively evaluate nerve roots by measuring fractional anisotropy (FA) values in healthy volunteers and @entity13549 @entity1 , visualize nerve roots by tractography, and compare the diagnostic efficacy between conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DTI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five @entity13549 @entity1 and thirty-six healthy volunteers underwent MR imaging using DTI. FA values for L5-S1 lumbar nerve roots were calculated at three levels from DTI images. Tractography was performed on L3-S1 nerve roots. ROC analysis was performed for FA values. RESULTS: The lumbar nerve roots were visualized and FA values were calculated in all subjects. FA values decreased in @entity614 and declined from proximal to distal along the compressed nerve tracts. Mean FA values were more sensitive and specific than MR imaging for differentiating @entity614 , especially in the far lateral zone at distal nerves. CONCLUSIONS: DTI can quantitatively evaluate @entity614 , and DTT enables visualization of abnormal nerve tracts, providing vivid anatomic information and localization of probable nerve compression. DTI has great potential utility for evaluating @entity2850 in @entity13549 .
