Spinal Cord Tissue Bridges Validation Study: Predictive Relationships With Sensory Scores Following Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

BACKGROUND

Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), widths of ventral tissue bridges demonstrated significant predictive relationships with future pinprick sensory scores, and widths of dorsal tissue bridges demonstrated significant predictive relationships with future light touch sensory scores, following spinal cord injury (SCI). These studies involved smaller participant numbers, and external validation of their findings is warranted.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to validate these previous findings using a larger independent data set.

METHODS

Widths of ventral and dorsal tissue bridges were quantified using MRI in persons post cervical level SCI (average 3.7 weeks post injury), and pinprick and light touch sensory scores were acquired at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation (average 14.3 weeks post injury). Pearson product-moments were calculated and linear regression models were created from these data.

RESULTS

Wider ventral tissue bridges were significantly correlated with pinprick scores ( = 0.31, < 0.001, = 136) and wider dorsal tissue bridges were significantly correlated with light touch scores ( = 0.31, < 0.001, = 136) at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.

CONCLUSION

This retrospective study's results provide external validation of previous findings, using a larger sample size. Following SCI, ventral tissue bridges hold significant predictive relationships with future pinprick sensory scores and dorsal tissue bridges hold significant predictive relationships with future light touch sensory scores.