Diffusion tensor imaging of lumbar spinal nerves reveals changes in microstructural integrity following decompression surgery associated with improvements in clinical symptoms: A case report

Abstract

The outcomes from spinal nerve decompression surgery are highly variable with a sizable proportion of elderly foraminal stenosis patients not regaining good pain relief. A better understanding of nerve root compression before and following decompression surgery and whether these changes are mirrored by improvements in symptoms may help to improve clinical decision-making processes. This case study used a combination of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), clinical questionnaires and motor neurophysiology assessments before and up to 3 months following spinal decompression surgery. In this case report, a 70-year-old women with compression of the left L5 spinal nerve root in the L5-S1 exit foramina was recruited to the study. At 3 months following surgery, DTI revealed marked improvements in left L5 microstructural integrity to a similar level to that seen in the intact right L5 nerve root. This was accompanied by a gradual improvement in pain-related symptoms, mood and disability score by 3 months. Using this novel multimodal approach, it may be possible to track concurrent improvements in pain-related symptoms, function and microstructural integrity of compressed nerves in elderly foraminal stenosis patients undergoing decompression surgery.