平山病的过屈位MRI表现及其临床价值

目的：探讨平山病的过屈位颈椎MRI特征性影像学表现及其临床诊断价值。方法：总结分析经临床证实的5例平山病患者的临床及MRI资料,并结合相关文献报道进行回顾性分析。所有患者均行常规生化检查,脑脊液检查,肌电图检查及肌肉活检。结果：5例均为青少年男性,呈单侧上肢远端无力伴萎缩,其中1例患者累及另一侧,尺侧肌萎缩明显,上肢呈斜坡样改变,均无感觉障碍和锥体束征;肌电图检查显示神经源性改变,提示受损节段多在下颈髓前角细胞。屈颈MRI检查均可见下颈髓前移、硬脊膜外间隙增宽,可见迂曲条状血管流空影。结论：平山病的过屈位MRI表现具有一定的特征性,对平山病的诊断具有重要价值。     

颈髓损伤的常规MRI表现与DTI技术临床应用

目的：比较不同时期颈髓损伤的MRI表现及DTI的应用价值。方法：收集急性颈髓压迫病例15例、慢性颈髓压迫病例23例、颈髓慢性压迫合并急性压迫病例12例。15例健康志愿者作为对照组。进行常规MRI检查,应用DTI检查测量表现扩散系数（ADC）值和各向异性分数（FA）。比较各组间ADC值和FA值,并进行统计学分析。结果：急性颈髓迫病例,常规MRI显示颈髓增粗,呈等T1长T2信号;慢性颈髓压迫病例,9例呈长T1长T2信号,14例呈等T1长T2信号;慢性颈髓压迫并急性压迫病例颈髓明显增粗,呈等、长T1明显长T2信号。与对照组比较：急性颈髓压迫组的ADC值和FA值均明显降低,两组的差异有显著性;慢性颈髓压迫组的FA值降低,ADC值增高,两组的差异有显著性;慢性脊髓压迫合并急性脊髓压迫组ADC值与对照组比较无差异,FA值低于对照组。颈髓压迫各组间ADC值及FA值比较差异显著。结论：不同时期颈髓损伤常规MRI图像缺乏特异性,根据ADC值及FA值可判断颈髓损伤的时期。     

颈髓损伤的常规MRI表现与DTI技术临床应用

目的:比较不同时期颈髓损伤的MRI表现及DTI的应用价值。方法:收集急性颈髓压迫病例15例、慢性颈髓压迫病例23例、颈髓慢性压迫合并急性压迫病例12例。15例健康志愿者作为对照组。进行常规MRI检查,应用DTI检查测量表观扩散系数(ADC)值和各向异性分数(FA)。比较各组间ADC值和FA值,并进行统计学分析。结果:急性颈髓迫病例,常规MRI显示颈髓增粗,呈等T1长T2信号;慢性颈髓压迫病例,9例呈长T1长T2信号,14例呈等T1长T2信号;慢性颈髓压迫并急性压迫病例颈髓明显增粗,呈等、长T1明显长T2信号。与对照组比较:急性颈髓压迫组的ADC值和FA值均明显降低,两组的差异有显著性;慢性颈髓压迫组的FA值降低,ADC值增高,两组的差异有显著性;慢性脊髓压迫合并急性脊髓压迫组ADC值与对照组比较无差异,FA值低于对照组。颈髓压迫各组间ADC值及FA值比较差异显著。结论:不同时期颈髓损伤常规MRI图像缺乏特异性,根据ADC值及FA值可判断颈髓损伤的时期。     

椎管内脊膜瘤的MRI特征及其临床意义

目的:探讨椎管内脊膜瘤的MRI特征并评价它们在脊膜瘤诊断中的价值.方法:回顾性分析经手术和病理证实21例椎管内脊膜瘤患者的MRI资料,观测肿瘤位置、形态、大小、信号强度、强化特点及其与邻近结构的关系.结果:21例脊膜瘤患者中,发病部位胸段14例,颈段5例,腰段2例.肿瘤均位于髓外硬膜下,呈扁丘状或椭圆形,其与硬膜面夹角为钝角,脊髓面圆钝且分界清楚,肿瘤纵径均大于横径.T1WI上大多数病例(90.5%)呈等信号或略低信号,T2WI上90.4%的病例呈等信号或略高信号.增强扫描16例(76.2%)呈明显均匀强化,13例(61.9%)出现"脊膜尾征".结论:椎管内脊膜瘤MRI表现具有一定特征性,其中病变形态、信号及强化特征对其定性诊断具有重要价值.     

肾嗜酸细胞腺瘤的影像学诊断

目的：探讨螺旋CT和MRI对肾嗜酸性细胞腺瘤的诊断及鉴别诊断的价值。方法：回顾性分析12例肾嗜酸性细胞瘤的CT和／或MRI表现。结果：CT检查12例,平扫8例病灶呈均匀软组织密度影,3例呈不均匀软组织密度影,1例瘤体周边有环状钙化。增强后病灶轻中度强化,6例见星状瘢痕。MRI检查3例,2例T1WI呈等低信号、T2WI呈高信号;1例T1wI呈等信号、T2WI等低信号。结论：多数肾嗜酸细胞腺瘤的影像学表现具有一定特征性。CT结合MRI特别是动态扫描有助于术前做出正确的诊断。     

特发性急性横贯性脊髓炎临床及MRI特征分析

目的探讨特发性急性横贯性脊髓炎(IATM)的临床特征及MRI特点,提高对其诊断准确性。方法对41例首次发病并住院诊治的IATM患者的临床资料及MRI图像进行回顾性分析。结果 (1)临床症状:首发症状为肢体麻木无力共28例(68.29%);截瘫12例(29.27%),尿便障碍/失禁25例(60.98%)。查体所有患者均有感觉障碍并伴有明确的感觉平面,其中39例(95.12%)表现为痛觉减退,2例(4.88%)表现为痛觉过敏。(2)MRI特征:41例患者中38例(92.68%)MRI显示异常,表现为T2WI条片状高信号,其中颈髓11例(28.95%),胸髓22例(57.89%),颈胸髓1例(2.63%),胸髓及马尾4例(10.53%);脊髓肿胀11例(28.95%)。21例患者行增强扫描检查,13例(61.90%)轻-中度强化。结论肢体麻木无力、尿便障碍及确切感觉平面以下的痛觉减退为IATM较主要的临床表现。临床表现与MRI特征相结合,有利于IATM的诊断。     

成人急性播散性脑脊髓炎脑部的MRI 表现及临床分析

目的:探讨成人急性播散性脑脊髓炎(ADEM)的脑部MRI表现特点。方法:回顾性分析符合临床诊断标准的成人ADEM患者8例。8例均进行MRI平扫,7例进行增强扫描。采用自旋回波(SE)序列、快速自旋回波(FSE)序列、FLAIR序列及EPI序列扫描。常规行矢状面、横断面及冠状面扫描。结果:(1)病变主要位于双侧侧脑室周围及额、顶、颞、枕皮质下白质区,主要特点为多发且分布大部分不对称,双侧侧脑室旁白质可见"垂直脱髓鞘征",病灶部分呈对称分布,同时累及丘脑、脑干、胼胝体、小脑白质或大脑皮质。4例累及双侧丘脑,病灶呈对称性分布。(2)8例病变信号均以长及略长TW1信号、长TW2信号为主,3例在病变中心可见更长TW1、更长TW2信号。(3)7例平扫异常信号增强扫描均可见不同程度异常强化,急性期病灶多呈点、斑片状、环形、类圆形及索条状强化。结论:ADEM脑部的MRI表现具有一定特征性,MRI具有重要诊断价值。     

肾嗜酸细胞腺瘤的影像学诊断

目的:探讨螺旋CT和MRI对肾嗜酸性细胞腺瘤的诊断及鉴别诊断的价值。方法:回顾性分析12例肾嗜酸性细胞瘤的CT和/或MRI表现。结果:CT检查12例,平扫8例病灶呈均匀软组织密度影,3例呈不均匀软组织密度影,1例瘤体周边有环状钙化。增强后病灶轻中度强化,6例见星状瘢痕。MRI检查3例,2例T1WI呈等低信号、T2WI呈高信号;1例T1WI呈等信号、T2WI等低信号。结论:多数肾嗜酸细胞腺瘤的影像学表现具有一定特征性。CT结合MRI特别是动态扫描有助于术前做出正确的诊断。     

MRI 在脊柱骨巨细胞瘤诊疗中的临床意义

目的:探讨MRI在脊柱骨巨细胞瘤诊疗中的临床应用价值。方法:回顾性分析2005年4月-2010年11月我院5例经病理证实为脊柱骨巨细胞瘤患者的MRI检查表现。结果:椎体内病灶呈不同程度膨胀性破坏,T1WI呈等、低信号改变,T2WI呈混杂信号,增强扫描呈不同程度均匀强化。结论:MRI能有效显示骨巨细胞瘤的病变部位及范围,。     

急性胰腺炎患者的CT、MRI影像学表现及其诊断价值对比研究

摘要 目的：比较急性胰腺炎患者的电子计算机断层扫描（CT）、磁共振成像（MRI）影像学表现及其诊断价值。方法：选择2018年1月-2019年12月我院收治并初步诊断为急性胰腺炎的患者124例，所有患者均同时行CT和MRI检查，并比较两种检查方式诊断急性胰腺炎的影像学表现，以临床最终诊断结果作为参考，比较两种检查方式诊断急性胰腺炎的价值。结果：124例患者，经临床最终诊断为急性胰腺炎96例，28例为非急性胰腺炎，以临床最终诊断结果为"金标准"，CT诊断急性胰腺炎的灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值、阴性预测值和准确度分别为84.38%、75.00%、92.05%、58.33%、82.26%，MRI诊断急性胰腺炎的灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值、阴性预测值和准确度分别为95.83%、78.57%、93.88%、84.62%、91.94%，MRI诊断急性胰腺炎的灵敏度、阴性预测值和准确度显著高于CT（P<0.05），两种检查方式诊断急性胰腺炎的特异度、阳性预测值比较无统计学差异（P>0.05）。结论：CT和MRI影像学表现有利于急性胰腺炎的诊断，两者对急性胰腺炎诊断均具有较高的灵敏度、特异度和准确度， 但MRI诊断急性胰腺炎的灵敏度、准确度优于CT。     

Investigation of the Differential Contributions of Superficial and Deep Muscles on Cervical Spinal Loads with Changing Head Postures

Cervical spinal loads are predominately influenced by activities of cervical muscles. However, the coordination between deep and superficial muscles and their influence on the spinal loads is not well understood. This study aims to document the changes of cervical spinal loads and the differential contributions of superficial and deep muscles with varying head postures. Electromyography (EMG) of cervical muscles from seventeen healthy adults were measured during maximal isometric exertions for lateral flexion (at 10°, 20° and terminal position) as well as flexion/extension (at 10°, 20°, 30°, and terminal position) neck postures. An EMG-assisted optimization approach was used to estimate the muscle forces and subsequent spinal loads. The results showed that compressive and anterior-posterior shear loads increased significantly with neck flexion. In particular, deep muscle forces increased significantly with increasing flexion. It was also determined that in all different static head postures, the deep muscle forces were greater than those of the superficial muscle forces, however, such pattern was reversed during peak efforts where greater superficial muscle forces were identified with increasing angle of inclination. In summary, the identification of significantly increased spinal loads associated with increased deep muscle activation during flexion postures, implies higher risks in predisposing the neck to occupationally related disorders. The results also explicitly supported that deep muscles play a greater role in maintaining stable head postures where superficial muscles are responsible for peak exertions and reinforcing the spinal stability at terminal head postures. This study provided quantitative data of normal cervical spinal loads and revealed motor control strategies in coordinating the superficial and deep muscles during physical tasks.     

A model-based study of passive joint properties on muscle effort during static stance

This study examined the impact of lower extremity joint stiffnesses and simulated joint contractures on the muscle effort required to maintain static standing postures after a spinal cord injury (SCI). Static inverse computer simulations were performed with a three-dimensional 15 degree of freedom musculoskeletal model placed in 1600 different standing postures. The required lower extremity muscle forces were calculated through an optimization routine that minimized the sum of the muscle stresses squared, which was used as an index of the muscle effort required for each standing posture. Joint stiffnesses were increased and decreased by 100 percent of their nominal values, and contractures were simulated to determine their effects on the muscle effort for each posture. Nominal muscle and passive properties for an individual with a SCI determined the baseline muscle effort for comparisons. Stiffness changes for the ankle plantar flexion/dorsiflexion, hip flexion/extension, and hip abduction/adduction directions had the largest effect on reducing muscle effort by more than 5 percent, while changes in ankle inversion/eversion and knee flexion/extension had the least effect. For erect standing, muscle effort was reduced by more than 5 percent when stiffness was decreased at the ankle plantar flexion/dorsiflexion joint or hip flexion/extension joint. With simulated joint contractures, the postural workspace area decreased and muscle effort was not reduced by more than 5 percent for any posture. Using this knowledge, methods can be developed through the use of orthoses, physical therapy, surgery or other means to appropriately augment or diminish these passive moments during standing with a neuroprosthesis.     

Elucidation of a potentially destabilizing control strategy in ACL deficient non-copers.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to differentiate the dynamic knee stabilization strategies of potential copers (individuals who have the potential to compensate for the absence of an ACL without episodes of giving way after return to pre-injury activities) and non-copers (those who have knee instability following ACL rupture with return to pre-injury activities). METHODS: Twenty subjects with ACL rupture were assigned to potential coper (n=10) and non-coper (n=10) groups via a screening examination. Ten active people without lower extremity injury were also tested. Knee angle, tibial position and muscle activity data were collected while subjects stood in unilateral stance on a platform that moved horizontally in an anterior direction. Analysis included the preparation for platform movement; and monosynaptic, intermediate reflex and voluntary response intervals after platform movement. RESULTS: Non-copers showed greater knee flexion than uninjured subjects, and had a posterior tibial position and altered hamstring recruitment compared to the other groups. Potential copers demonstrated greater medial quadriceps activity while maintaining knee kinematics similar to uninjured subjects. Both potential copers and non-copers had greater co-contraction between medial hamstrings and quadriceps than uninjured subjects. All excitatory muscle activation occurred in the intermediate reflex interval. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Non-copers displayed aberrant muscle recruitment that may contribute to knee instability. Potential copers maintained normal tibial position using a strategy that permits quadriceps activation without excessive anterior tibial translation. Muscle recruitment in the intermediate reflex interval suggests neuromuscular training may influence the strategies.     

Spinal Loads during Post-Operative Physiotherapeutic Exercises

After spinal surgery, physiotherapeutic exercises are performed to achieve a rapid return to normal life. One important aim of treatment is to regain muscle strength, but it is known that muscle forces increase the spinal loads to potentially hazardous levels. It has not yet been clarified which exercises cause high spinal forces and thus endanger the surgical outcome. The loads on vertebral body replacements were measured in 5 patients during eleven physiotherapeutic exercises, performed in the supine, prone, or lateral position or on all fours (kneeling on the hands and knees). Low resultant forces on the vertebral body replacement were measured for the following exercises: lifting one straight leg in the supine position, abduction of the leg in the lateral position, outstretching one leg in the all-fours position, and hollowing the back in the all-fours position. From the biomechanical point of view, these exercises can be performed shortly after surgery. Implant forces similar or even greater than those for walking were measured during: lifting both legs, lifting the pelvis in the supine position, outstretching one arm with or without simultaneously outstretching the contralateral leg in the all-fours position, and arching the back in the all-fours position. These exercises should not be performed shortly after spine surgery.     

Signaling of Ankle Joint Position by Receptors in Different Muscles

Plots were made of multiunit activity versus ankle joint position for receptors in each of the 12 muscles crossing the cat ankle joint, except peroneus tertius, by recording from populations of afferent fibers in muscle nerves. The discharge was measured 15 or 30 sec after terminating the movements that altered the position of the joint. These recordings were dominated by large-spike activity that would be expected to originate mainly from primary spindle endings. Seven of the 12 muscles also cross other joints. Their responses at a given ankle joint position were so altered by changes in the position of the knee or toe joints that they could not reliably signal the position of the ankle joint. As judged from multiunit recording, receptors in each of the five muscles specific to the ankle joint were influenced by more than one axis of ankle joint displacement.

Single-unit recording from dorsal root filaments was used to determine whether primary or secondary spindle receptors in soleus and tibialis anterior could selectively signal one axis of ankle joint rotation. Individual soleus receptors were tested both on the flexion extension axis and with a combined adduction–eversion movement.

For 38 of the 70 soleus receptors examined (54%), firm adduction–eversion produced a level of activity greater than that caused by 10° of flexion, and for 77% the level of activity was greater than that caused by 5° of flexion. For 168 of the 184 tibialis anterior receptors studied (91%), firm abduction inversion produced a level of activity greater than that caused by 10° of extension. Thus few receptors were found that responded exclusively to one axis of rotation.

One way in which the position of the ankle joint could be specified in the face of multiaxial receptor activity is by examining the receptor discharge from more than one muscle. A suggestion for how the nervous system might do this is given in the discussion.     

Contributions of muscle forces and toe-off kinematics to peak knee flexion during the swing phase of normal gait: an induced position analysis

A three-dimensional dynamic simulation of walking was used together with induced position analysis to determine how kinematic conditions at toe-off and muscle forces following toe-off affect peak knee flexion during the swing phase of normal gait. The flexion velocity of the swing-limb knee at toe-off contributed 30 degrees to the peak knee flexion angle; this was larger than any contribution from an individual muscle or joint moment. Swing-limb muscles individually made large contributions to knee angle (i.e., as large as 22 degrees), but their actions tended to balance one another, so that the combined contribution from all swing-limb muscles was small (i.e., less than 3 degrees of flexion). The uniarticular muscles of the swing limb made contributions to knee flexion that were an order of magnitude larger than the biarticular muscles of the swing limb. The results of the induced position analysis make clear the importance of knee flexion velocity at toe-off relative to the effects of muscle forces exerted after toe-off in generating peak knee flexion angle. In addition to improving our understanding of normal gait, this study provides a basis for analyzing stiff-knee gait, a movement abnormality in which knee flexion in swing is diminished.     

Effect of posture on vital capacity

The influence of some extreme body postures on vital capacity (VC) was examined in young adult humans. Two postures required full support of body weight by the arms: arms up, hanging from a bar, and arms down with hands gripping parallel bars. Three involved muscles that flex and extend the trunk: a partial sit-up position while supine and nearly maximal spinal extension and flexion while standing. Changes at the inspiratory and expiratory volume extremes were recognized by having the subjects do two VC efforts: the first standing and the second in the posture in question while continuing to breathe on the spirometer. Control observations in which the second of a VC pair was performed in an unstressed posture allowed correction for the influence of rebreathing. The changes in corrected VC were small, the greatest being an average reduction of approximately 8% in the partial sit-up position. During full support of body weight by the arms, the VC was slightly increased due to a significant increase in the inspiratory extreme and no change in the expiratory extreme. Spinal extension produced small increases in lung volume at both extremes with no significant change in VC, whereas spinal flexion did not influence the upper extreme but did increase lung volume at the lower extreme. The changes are discussed in terms of trunk muscle action.     

Diaphragm Postural Function Analysis Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

We present a postural analysis of diaphragm function using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The main aim of the study was to identify changes in diaphragm motion and shape when postural demands on the body were increased (loading applied to a distal part of the extended lower extremities against the flexion of the hips was used). Sixteen healthy subjects were compared with 17 subjects suffering from chronic low back pain and in whom structural spine disorders had been identified. Two sets of features were calculated from MRI recordings: dynamic parameters reflecting diaphragm action, and static parameters reflecting diaphragm anatomic characteristics. A statistical analysis showed that the diaphragm respiratory and postural changes were significantly slower, bigger in size and better balanced in the control group. When a load was applied to the lower limbs, the pathological subjects were mostly not able to maintain the respiratory diaphragm function, which was lowered significantly. Subjects from the control group showed more stable parameters of both respiratory and postural function. Our findings consistently affirmed worse muscle cooperation in the low back pain population subgroup. A clear relation with spinal findings and with low back pain remains undecided, but various findings in the literature were confirmed. The most important finding is the need to further address various mechanisms used by patients to compensate deep muscle insufficiency.     

The equine neck and its function during movement and locomotion

During both locomotion and body movements at stance, the head and neck of the horse are a major craniocaudal and lateral balancing mechanism employing input from the visual, vestibular and proprioceptive systems. The function of the equine neck has recently become the focus of several research groups; this is probably also feeding on an increase of interest in the equine neck in equestrian sports, with a controversial discussion of specific neck positions such as maximum head and neck flexion. The aim of this review is to offer an overview of new findings on the structures and functions of the equine neck, illustrating their interplay. The movement of the neck is based on intervertebral motion, but it is also an integral part of locomotion; this is illustrated by the different neck conformations in the breeds of horses used for various types of work. The considerable effect of the neck movement and posture onto the whole trunk and even the limbs is transmitted via bony, ligamentous and muscular structures. Also, the fact that the neck position can easily be influenced by the rider and/or by the employment of training aids makes it an important avenue for training of new movements of the neck as well as the whole horse. Additionally, the neck position also affects the cervical spinal cord as well as the roots of the spinal nerves; besides the commonly encountered long-term neurological effects of cervical vertebral disorders, short-term changes of neural and muscular function have also been identified in the maximum flexion of the cranial neck and head position. During locomotion, the neck stores elastic energy within the passive tissues such as ligaments, joint capsules and fasciae. For adequate stabilisation, additional muscle activity is necessary; this is learned and requires constant muscle training as it is essential to prevent excessive wear and tear on the vertebral joints and also repetitive or single trauma to the spinal nerves and the spinal cord. The capability for this stabilisation decreases with age in the majority of horses due to changes in muscle tissue, muscle coordination and consequently muscle strength.