Peripheral nerve diffusion tensor imaging

Magn Reson Imaging. 2004 Jun;22(5):743-5. doi: 10.1016/j.mri.2004.01.073.

Abstract

We examined if MR diffusion tensor imaging with fiber tracking could be performed on the sciatic nerve. In 3 healthy volunteers the proximal thigh was examined on a 1.5-Tesla MR-scanner with a 2-channel phased-array coil. Though inherently susceptible to motion, field inhomogeneities, and fast T(2)-relaxation of the diffusion imaging technique, the sciatic nerve could be detected and correlated to T(2)-weighted images in all 3 subjects. Further investigations need to be done to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and to see if smaller peripheral nerves than the sciatic nerve can be detected.

MeSH terms

  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Humans
  • Sciatic Nerve / anatomy & histology*
  • Sciatic Nerve / physiology