Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI in the cervical cord: application to traumatic spinal cord injury

Motivation: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to a perfusion deficit in the cervical cord, a factor that significantly contributes to neurodegeneration. Characterizing changes in perfusion after injury holds potential to better understand progressive SCI-induced neurodegeneration. Goal(s): To determine blood perfusion changes in the cervical cord of tetraplegic SCI patients using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI. Approach: Cardiac-gated IVIM MRI was applied to the cervical cord in 21 SCI patients and 38 healthy controls (HC). Results: SCI patients showed significant changes in IVIM parameters in the grey matter of the cervical cord compared to HC, indicating remote perfusion deficit above the injury site. Impact: The characterization of spinal cord perfusion changes in SCI provides valuable insights into tissue-specific changes which can serve as a foundation for the development of targeted treatment strategies.