• Hidetoshi Kohgo, Haruo Isoda, Hiroyasu Takeda, Shoichi Inagawa, Koichi Sugiyama, Shuhei Yamashita, and Harumi Sakahara.
• Department of Radiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, and Department of Radiology, Fujinomiya City General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.
• J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2006 Jan 1;30(1):111-5.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate whether or not tagged magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with particle image velocimetry (PIV) software could reveal spinal cord motion clearly.MethodsSix volunteers were enrolled in this study. Tagged MR imaging using fast spoiled gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state with spatial modulation of the magnetization technique was performed using a 1.5-T MR system.ResultsSagittal vector maps analyzed by PIV software revealed entire spinal cord motion sequentially during the cardiac cycle. The cervical spinal cord initially moved in a caudal direction and then continually oscillated from a cephalic-to-caudal direction. Each volunteer had a different cycle. In the thoracic spinal area, similar findings were observed, although they were slightly less clear than in the cervical area.ConclusionTagged MR imaging combined with PIV software, referred to as tagged MR image velocimetry, revealed spinal cord motion associated with the cardiac pulse, especially in the cervical spine.

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