Correlation of magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers (tissue bridges) with neurological recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury (SCI) imposes enduring physical impairments and substantial socio-economic burdens. These injuries are either traumatic incidents or ischemic but exhibit comparable clinical recoveries. This suggests shared underlying neurodegenerative mechanisms, such as neuronal cell death, demyelination, and axonal degeneration, regardless of aetiology. AIM To investigate the relationship between the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers (tissue bridges) and clinical outcome in acute traumatic SCI. METHODS In this prospective study adult patients with acute SCI who were examined clinically and radiologically within first 48 hours and subsequently at intervals were included. Clinical assessment included sensory score, motor score and zone of partial preservation. Radiological scores included measurement kyphotic deformities - sagittal index, regional kyphosis, gardener segmental kyphotic deformity. MRI on 3 Tesla machine was done to evaluate quantitative & qualitative parameters, and tissue bridges at one and 6 months. RESULTS There were 47 patients with a mean age of 40.43 ± 10.73 years and male/female ratio of 34:13. There was a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in clinical, radiological, and MRI parameters at 6 months. Maximum spinal cord compression (MSCC), maximal canal compression, lesion length, width, and area; dorsal tissue bridges; ventral tissue bridges, total width of tissue bridges; and midsagittal tissue bridge ratios at one month significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with the 6-month total motor score and total sensory score. Further, the regression analysis demonstrated clinical improvement to dimensions of tissue bridges at 6 months. CONCLUSION The MRI imaging biomarkers in SCI patients demonstrated substantial improvement over time. There was a negative correlation between neurological recovery, MSCC, maximum canal compromise, and lesion dimensions (lesion length, lesion width, and lesion area). Higher canal compromise and lesion dimensions were associated with a poorer outcome. The evaluation of the midsagittal tissue bridge (including the ventral tissue bridge, dorsal tissue bridge, total width of the tissue bridge, and tissue bridge ratios) at 1 and 6 months showed a positive correlation with the neurological recovery.
Source: World Journal of Orthopedics
Authors: Roop Singh, Sachin Gautam, Shalini Aggarwal, Svareen Kaur, Mantu Jain
Language: English
Topic: Spinal Cord Injury Research
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4416186195