Metabolites Quantifiable by Magnetic Resonance in Spinal Cord Injury Implanted with Plasma-Synthesized Polymer in Vivo
摘要
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes severe neurological disability, with great medical and socioeconomic repercussions. More than 2.5 million people are estimated to be living with SCI worldwide. The use of different treatments after SCI has been reported. Most of the strategies have not significantly recovered the motor or sensory functions of the subjects. We have reported that rats implanted with plasma-synthesized materials that contain amines in their composition (pP-NH), after SCI recover voluntary movements in their posterior joints. Experiments with pP-NH are developing towards possible clinical application. The use of plasma-synthesized polymers derived from pyrrole for neuroprotection and central nervous system reconnection has patents accepted around the world. In this work, pP-NH was implanted in an SCI, and subjects were followed with in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Physicochemical changes were determined by in vivo metabolite quantification in the evolution of motor recovery after an SCI implanted with pP-NH. The feasibility of in vivo monitoring of functional recovery by magnetic resonance spectroscopy was shown. In addition, data and tools are presented that could expand the use of quantitative MRI variables as a complementary evaluation of clinical diagnosis.