Pre- and post-treatment nerve root tractography in the lumbar spine - a pilot study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Nerve root tractography in the lumbar spine pre- and post surgical nerve decompression
IRAS ID
169376
Contact name
Bernhard Tins
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 4 months, 30 days
Research summary
The indication for spinal intervention is partly based on objective criteria such as loss of power and partly on subjective criteria such as pain. Conventional imaging can help identify abnormal anatomy but can not directly image pain or nerve damage.
Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) of nerves (also called tractography) can assess nerve damage due to mechanical compromise and might enable better patient selection for spinal intervention as well as providing an objective outcome measure after the intervention.
DWI assesses diffusion of water molecules in space. In an intact nerve diffusion mainly occurs along the long axis of the nerve, in damaged nerves diffusion is increased in the radial directions.
It is proposed to perform DWI before and 3 months after nerve decompression spinal surgery and to assess the change in diffusion parameters of affected spinal nerves. DWI changes of the nerves are then related to the clinical signs and symptoms before and after surgery as determined by clinical examination and questionaires.
If successful this technique should help in patient selection prior to spinal intervention.patient selection: adult patients with compressive lumbar root compression, single level, are offered participation in the study
participating patients will undergo an additional MRI scan prior to and 3 month after spinal decompression surgery
numerical data for nerve diffusivity pre and post surgery will be correlated to the results of clinical examination and clinical scores pre and post surgeryREC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0167
Date of REC Opinion
21 May 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion