Oscillatory motion of the normal cervical spinal cord

To determine the normal pattern of cervical spinal cord motion with measurement of cervical spinal cord velocity by means of phase-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Spinal cord velocity was measured in 11 healthy subjects with a modified gradient-echo pulse sequence on a conventional 1.5-T M...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Radiology Vol. 192; no. 1; p. 117
Main Authors:	Mikulis, D J, Wood, M L, Zerdoner, O A, Poncelet, B P
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States 01-07-1994
Subjects:	Adult Electrocardiography Female Humans Magnetic Resonance Imaging Male Middle Aged Movement Spinal Cord - physiology
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Summary:	To determine the normal pattern of cervical spinal cord motion with measurement of cervical spinal cord velocity by means of phase-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Spinal cord velocity was measured in 11 healthy subjects with a modified gradient-echo pulse sequence on a conventional 1.5-T MR imaging system that generated phase images sensitive to slow motion. Prospective electrocardiogram gating was used to assess velocity as a function of the cardiac cycle. The accuracy of velocity measurements was estimated with images of a phantom moving at constant velocity. The cervical spinal cord moves with an oscillatory pattern in the craniocaudal direction. The maximum velocity (7.0 mm/sec +/- 1.4 [standard deviation]) in the caudal direction occurred approximately 109 msec +/- 20 after electrical cardiac systole. The maximum velocities in subsequent oscillations decreased toward zero before the next cardiac systole. The cervical spinal cord oscillates in a craniocaudal direction after each cardiac systole.
ISSN:	0033-8419
DOI:	10.1148/radiology.192.1.8208922