Quantification of edematous changes by diffusion magnetic resonance imaging in gastrocnemius muscles after spinal nerve ligation
Fig 3
The ADC ratio is elevated in gastrocnemius muscle in the CRPS model.
L5 spinal nerve ligation (ligation group) or sham surgery (control group) was performed on the left side of rats, and the ratio of ADC values in gastrocnemius muscle on the operated-side versus the contralateral side, as evaluated by diffusion MRI, was elevated in experimental relative to sham-operated controls at indicated time points after surgery. The ADC ratio increased rapidly by one day after nerve ligation and then gradually decreased. Differences between the nerve ligation (■) and sham surgery control (▲) groups were statistically significant at one, three, and five days post-surgery. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, n = 5, error bars = SEM.