Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) enables more specific characterization of tissue microstructure by estimating neurite density (NDI) and orientation dispersion (ODI), two key contributors to fractional anisotropy (FA). The present work compared NODDI- with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-derived indices for investigating white matter abnormalities in a clinical sample. ...

AIM To evaluate the efficacy of the rehabilitation protocol on patients with lumbar degenerative disc disease after posterior transpedicular dynamic stabilization (PTDS) surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients (n=50) with single level lumbar degenerative disc disease were recruited for this study. Patients had PTDS surgery with hinged screws. A rehabilitation program was applied for all patien...

STUDY DESIGN Prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE To compare the novel treatment procedure with nonoperative treatment for low back pain (LBP) in elderly patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Treatment of LBP associated with elderly DLS is controversial. We developed a novel treatment procedure, termed percutaneous intervertebral-vacuum polymethylmetha...

BACKGROUND The aim of the present study was to compare one-year-follow-up data on disability and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between spinal fusion patients and age- and sex-matched general population. METHODS The data on fusion patients were collected prospectively using a spinal fusion data base in two Finnish hospitals. A general population sample matched for age, sex and residen...

BACKGROUND Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) is a diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique with the potential to visualize the microstructure of the brain. Revolutionary histological methods to render the mouse brain transparent have recently been developed, but verification of NODDI by these methods has not been reported. PURPOSE To confirm the concordanc...

CONCLUSIONS This follow-up showed a stable and significant decrease in median oxygen desaturation index 4% (ODI(4)) values over the years. Approximately two-thirds of the patients fulfilled the success criteria (ODI(4) reduction of 50% and <20) after 15 years. A majority had improved/cured excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and were satisfied. No increased mortality rate was seen. OBJECTIVES ...

In this study, we compare intermediate-term outcomes in minimally invasive surgical transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF) to open TLIF. Sixty-four patients who underwent 1- to 2-level MIS TLIF with baseline, 1-, and 2-year outcome measures were identified. These were propensity-matched to a cohort of open TLIF patients based on age, body mass index, sex, smoking status, workers' com...

Early approaches for computing duplicate-sensitive aggregates in sensor networks (e.g., in TAG) have used a tree topology, in order to conserve energy and to avoid double-counting sensor readings. However, a tree topology is not robust against node and communication failures that are common in sensor networks. Recent research has shown that for several duplicate-sensitive aggregates (e.g., Coun...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of hyaluronidase in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) treated with interlaminar lumbar epidural injection (ILEI). METHOD Sixty patients suffering from severe low back pain and sciatica were randomly allocated into three groups. Group T received ILEI with 2 ml triamcinolone 40 mg/ml and 5 ml bupivacaine 0.25%. Group H received ILEI with 1500 IU ...

PURPOSE To estimate the prevalence of insomnia in patients with chronic back pain, and to correlate insomnia with severity of back pain and disability. METHODS 63 women and 57 men aged 24 to 83 (mean, 55) years who presented with chronic back pain for >6 months were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire to evaluate the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Oswestry Disability Index (OD...