Diffusion MRI as A Biomarker for Monitoring Recovery After Surgical Repair of Traumatic Peripheral Nerve Injuries: A Case-Series Study

Motivation: Currently, there are no reliable, non-invasive biomarkers capable to early identify repair of severe peripheral nerve injuries cases that require additional surgical intervention. Goal(s): FA monitor clinical axonal regeneration after surgical repair of traumatic peripheral nerve injuries. Approach: A novel mathematical model to identify and characterize multiple sections based on slice-wise FA values of the Ulnar and Median nerves following nerve repair provided an automated and consistent approach. Results: Results accurately matched clinical assessments of traumatic peripheral nerve injury recovery. These results supports FA as a biomarker of nerve recovery after nerve repair surgery and aid clinical decisions for timely interventions. Impact: This study provides insight into the evolution of FA values along the nerve during recovery, providing for an automated and consistent approach to identify cases that require surgical inventions.