Pro-CSM

The prospective Pro-CSM study follows patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) by morphometric and phase contrast MRI to assess the impact of spinal cord movement as biomarker in DCM. Patients are followed by a standardized clinical (AIS, mJOA, Nurick Score SCIM) and neurophysiological (dermatomal SEPs, contact heat evoked potentials, CHEPs) protocol for 5 years.

The spinal cord is subject to a periodic, cardiac-related movement, which is increased at the level of a cervical stenosis. Increased oscillations may exert mechanical stress on spinal cord tissue causing intramedullary damage. Motion analysis thus holds promise as a biomarker related to disease progression in degenerative cervical myelopathy. Our aim is characterization of the cervical spinal cord motion in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy.

The Pro-CSM study is a collaboration of the University Spine Center Zurich and is funded by the Balgrist Foundation.