BOLD MRI of the human cervical spinal cord at 3 Tesla

The feasibility of functional MRI of the spinal cord was investigated by ca rrying out blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) imaging of the human cervica l spinal cord at a field of 3 T. BOLD imaging of the cervical spinal cord s howed an average intensity increase of 7.0% during repeated exercise with t he dominant hand with a return to baseline during rest periods. The areas o f activation were predominantly on the same side of the spinal cord as the hand performing the exercise, between the levels of the sixth cervical and first thoracic spinal cord segments. The direct correspondence between thes e areas and those involved with the transmission of motor impulses to the h and, and reception of sensory information from the hand, demonstrates that spinal functional magnetic resonance imaging is feasible. (C) 1999 Wiley-Li ss, Inc.