Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2010, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (43): 8049-8052.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2010.43.018

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Spinal cord functional MRI of patients with spinal cord injury following electrical stimulation at acupoints

Chen Ye-xi1, Shen Zhi-wei2, Li Zhi-yang1, Xiao Ye-yu2, Wu Ren-hua2, Kong Kang-mei1   

  1. 1 Department of Surgery, 2 Department of Radiology, Second Hospital of Shantou University Medical School, Shantou  515041, Guangdong Province, China
  • Online:2010-10-22 Published:2010-10-22
  • About author:Chen Ye-xi☆, Doctor, Chief physician, Department of Surgery, Second Hospital of Shantou University Medical School, Shantou 515041, Guangdong Province, China chenyexi@vip.sina.com
  • Supported by:

    the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, No. 815150 310200032*; a grant from Guangdong Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 2007369*; the Medical Scientific Research Program of Guangdong Provincial Health Department, No.A2007426*, B2007130*

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Studies show that spinal cord function areas are consistent with electrophysiological theory related areas. Many researchers believe that it is feasible to detect spinal cord function by magnetic resonance imaging.
OBJECTIVE: To detect the characteristics of the spinal cord functional magnetic resonance imaging activated areas in patients with spinal cord injury using electrical stimulation to explore the feasibility of objective evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment of spinal cord injury using spinal magnetic resonance imaging technology.
METHODS: Hegu acupoint and Quchi acupoint in the right fore-arm of 3 patients with spinal cord injury and 5 healthy volunteers were stimulated by electrical acupuncture simultaneously. Based on the block design method, the true active areas within the spinal cord of patients and volunteers were acquired by the SPM2 software. The distribution characteristcs of actived areas in sagittal plane and in axial plane were analyzed. Compared with the actived areas of health volunteers, the differences of activated areas of SCI patients were found.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: For 5 healthy volunteers, there were activations in spinal C2 and C5 segments and four activation cases in the C6 segment. For patients, there was repeated activation in the spinal C2 and C6 segment. The activation distrubtion in one patient was similar to those of healthy volunteers. The spinal cord functional magnetic resonance imaging activation areas using the electrical simulation were observed. There were certain characteristics with the distribution of the activation. The efficacy of acupuncture treatment of spinal cord injury can be objectively evaluated, to a certain extent, by the distribution and intensity of activation of areas.

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