Abstract
Objective
To determine relationships between increased signal intensity (ISI) on T2-weighted cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and parameters of gait analysis in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).
Methods and Materials: Patients were evaluated by using the Nurick scale, cervical spine MRI, and gait analysis. The signals of 3-axis accelerometer was collected during the gait analysis, and then the entropy of frequency (EF)and amplitude (EA) of vertical axis was measured The increased signal intensity on the spinal cord was determined by two neurosurgeons.
Results
7 CSM patients with ISI on the spinal cord and 2 CSM patients without ISI were included. In addition, 7 health subjects were recruited as the control group. Relative to patients without ISI and the control group, those with ISI showed significantly higher EAs of vertical axis signal (p < .05), but not EFs. Moreover, postoperative EAs significantly decreased compared with preoperative EAs. The Nurick scales significantly correlated with EA.
Conclusions
The gait analysis showed that EAs of vertical axis were significantly higher in CSM patients with ISI and in preoperative gait analysis of those patients. EA of vertical axis also correlated well with the Nurick grades. EA of vertical axis in gait analysis may be a useful tool for evaluating gait functions in cervical myelopathy.