Intramedullary MRI Changes in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Clinical Significance with Type of Intensity and Spinal Cord Compression Ratio

Abstract

CA via MRI of 10.9 6 13.5 and 6.4 6 16.8; CA via X-ray of 17.1 6 13.16 and 10.4 6 13.26; CI via MRI of 4.2 6 11.18 and 4.3 6 15.85; CI via X-ray of 8.3 6 10.43 and 5.7 6 14.11. The t-tests indicated that only cord rotation showed significance (p! 0.01). There was no statistical significance shown with anterior or posterior procedures, or with gender. There was a 7:2 ratio of males to females with C5 palsy, which trended toward significance (p50.087). The results of binary logistic regression model yielded cord rotation as the only significant independent predictor of C5 palsy. For every degree of axial cord rotation, the odds ratio for suffering a C5 palsy was 4.53 (95% confidence interval 2.067.55, p!0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data further confirm the independent capability of preoperative cord rotation to predict postoperative C5 palsy. The lack of correlation with CA or CI values (from X-ray imaging and MRI) may hint that preoperative sagittal imaging may not be appropriate to accurately predict this particular outcome. Due to the small sample size, however, it is difficult to make any concrete conclusions at this point so we are currently working on expanding the patient pool. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS: This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs.