CT myelography by intrathecal injection of contrast medium though percutaneous administration route visualizes compressed cervical spinal cord in a mouse

Background

Chronic compressive myelopathy (CCM) is a major cause of spinal cord disorders in the elderly, in which the spinal cord is compressed by bony or soft tissue structures. Although computed tomography myelography (CTM) has been clinically used for the diagnosis of CCM, a method of CTM in rodents remains to be developed.

New method

A 50 μl Hamilton syringe attached to a disposable needle was percutaneously inserted into the subarachnoid space (cisterna magna) between the occipital bone and C1 lamina in an anesthetized adult mouse, followed by the injection of contrast medium and CT imaging.

Results

CTM clearly visualized the shape of the spinal cord of intact mice and tiptoe-walking Yoshimura (Twy) mice without any health issues.

Comparison with existing method(s)

Unlike histology, the current method functions in live mice, directly depicts the compressed spinal cord, and provides clinically related image information. Furthermore, the intrathecal administration of contrast medium through the percutaneous route makes CTM less invasive and takes less time than a conventional intrathecal injection method.

Conclusions

The CTM method used in the present study enables clear visualization of the shape of the dural sac and spinal cord and is useful when conducting experiments on CCM and other spinal diseases in rodents.