Application of diffusion tensor imaging in quantitatively monitoring chronic constriction injury of rabbit sciatic nerves: correlation with histological and functional changes

Objective: To investigate the potential of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in quantitatively monitoring chronic constriction injuri (CCI) of sciatic nerves and to analyse the association of DTI parameters with nerve histology and limb function. Methods: CCI was created on sciatic nerves in the right hind legs of 20 rabbits with the left as control. DTI parameters—fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD)—and limb function were longitudinally evaluated. Pathology analysis was performed on day 3 (d3), week 1 (w1), 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. Results: FA of the constricted nerves decreased on d3 (0.316 ± 0.044) and increased from w1 to w10 (0.331 ± 0.018, 0.354 ± 0.044, 0.375 ± 0.015, 0.394 ± 0.020, 0.42 ± 0.03 and 0.464 ± 0.039). ADC increased on d3 until w2 (1.502 ± 0.126, 1.462 ± 0.058 and 1.473 ± 0.124 × 10 mm s) and decreased to normal from w4 to w10 (1.356 ± 0.129, 1.375 ± 0.107, 1.290 ± 0.064and 1.298 ± 0.026 × 10 mm s). AD decreased and stayed low from d3 to w10 (2.042 ± 0.160, 2.005 ± 0.095, 2.057 ± 0.124, 1.952 ± 0.213, 1.988 ± 0.180, 1.947 ± 0.106and 2.097 ± 0.114). RD increased on d3 (1.233 ± 0.152) and declined from w1 to w10 (1.19 ± 0.06, 1.181 ± 0.14, 1.071 ± 0.102, 1.068 ± 0.084, 0.961 ± 0.063and 0.923 ± 0.058). FA, ADC and RD correlated significantly with limb functional scores (all Ps < 0.0001) and their changes were associated with histological changes. Conclusion: FA, ADC and RD are promising to monitor CCI. AD may be a stable indicator for injury. Histological changes, oedema, axon loss and demyelination, and fibrosis, accompanied the changes of these parameters.