Quantitative evaluation of spinal cord cine-MRI with optical flow analysis: comparison with phase contrast

Motivation: Spinal cord motion mechanisms remain poorly understood, especially in pathological cases.We have proposed a new technique to quantitatively evaluate spinal cord motions using optical flow analysis on spinal cord cine-MRI Goal(s): we compared the proposed technique with the phase contrast (PC) commonly used in previous studies to investigate the similarities and differences. Approach: Optical flow measured movement range, and phase difference analysis assessed velocity amplitude in healthy individuals and patients with Chiari I malformation and spondylotic cervical canal stenosis. Results: In healthy subjects, movement range correlated with velocity amplitude. Chiari I malformation showed stable measures pre- and post-surgery, while stenosis cases exhibited changes. Impact: This approach holds potential for diagnosing and evaluating spinal conditions by providing quantitative insights into spinal cord motion. It could improve clinical decision-making for Chiari I malformation , aiding in assessing treatment efficacy and patient outcomes.