Faculty Collaboration Database

Diffusion tensor imaging and tractography in Brown-Sequard syndrome. Spinal Cord 2012 Dec;50(12):928-30

Date

10/10/2012

Pubmed ID

23045298

DOI

10.1038/sc.2012.94

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84870952535 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   13 Citations

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Case report.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the utility of diffusion tensor imaging and tractography in two patients with Brown-Sequard syndrome after penetrating cervical cord injury.

SETTING: Milwaukee, WI, USA.

METHODS: Two patients, who presented with features of Brown-Sequard syndrome after sustaining stab wounds to the neck, underwent DTI and tractography of the cervical cord within a week of the injury. DTI metrics were measured within the left and right hemicord around the level of injury. Diffusion tensor tractography was performed to visualize the site of injury and injured fiber tracts.

RESULTS: Axial fractional anisotropy maps at the site of injury showed unilateral damage to the cord structure, and FA was significantly reduced within the injured hemicord in both patients. Tractography allowed for visualization of the injured fiber tracts around the level of injury. Both DTI metrics and tractography showed an asymmetry that corresponded to the neurological deficits exhibited by the patients.

CONCLUSION: This report illustrates the utility of DTI and DTT in delineating regions of cord injury in two patients with traumatic Brown-Sequard syndrome. Our results indicate that DTI provides clinically relevant information that supplements conventional MR imaging for patients with acute SCI.

Author List

Vedantam A, Jirjis MB, Schmit BD, Budde MD, Ulmer JL, Wang MC, Kurpad SN

Authors

Matthew Budde PhD Associate Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Shekar N. Kurpad MD, PhD Chair, Director, Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Brian Schmit PhD Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Marquette University
Aditya Vedantam MD Assistant Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Anisotropy
Brown-Sequard Syndrome
Crime
Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Male
Middle Aged
Neck Injuries
Neurologic Examination
Pyramidal Tracts
Spinal Cord
Spinal Cord Injuries
Wounds, Stab