Oscillating Gradient Spin Echo (OGSE) Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Human Spinal Cord: Application to Multiple Sclerosis

Compared to conventional pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) techniques, oscillating gradient spin echo (OGSE) provides access to shorter diffusion times, thereby enabling greater sensitivity to microstructure on smaller scales. Here, we report initial results of OGSE in the human spinal cord. Unlike in the brain, axial diffusivity in the spinal cord appears to be negligibly affected with diffusion time. Relative to the PGSE sequence (t_diff= 66 ms), the OGSE sequence (t_diff=8.77 ms) shows a 37% mean increase in radial diffusivity (RD) in healthy controls. When applied to MS, OGSE shows a larger difference in RD in comparison to healthy controls.