Figure 4-.

Example structural, diffusion, magnetization transfer, and functional axial cervical spinal cord images are shown. The structural image was acquired using a multi-echo gradient-echo sequence, which provides high white matter to gray matter contrast. In the diffusion image, the principle direction of diffusion in the spinal cord is through the axial plane as indicated by the colored lines. Magnetization transfer imaging can be used to calculate the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), which provides a measure of tissue macromolecule content. The functional images show group average activation from an acute thermal pain stimulus applied to the right ventral forearm and group average connectivity to the C7 right anterior horn (light blue). Green = spinal cord gray matter.