Degenerative spine disease is a significant health concern in animals due to its impact on daily activities such as movement, balance, and thermoregulation. Early diagnosis is essential for effective management and treatment, with MRI playing a crucial role in identifying degenerative changes. Advanced MRI sequences, particularly Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI), have determined an important tool for detecting early microstructural changes. This review evaluates the efficacy of DKI parameters for the early diagnosis of degenerative spine disease in animal models. Following the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) guidelines, a systematic literature review was conducted to assess the association between specific DKI metrics and early-stage spinal degeneration. Two relevant studies were identified that compared DKI parameters with conventional T2-weighted fast spin echo sequences for disc grading, analyzed gender differences, and performed ROC analysis. The relationship between DKI parameters and post-puncture procedures was also explored. The findings suggest that DKI is more sensitive than conventional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in detecting subtle microstructural changes in the intervertebral disc space and spinal cord. This highlights DKI’s potential to improve diagnostic accuracy and inform targeted treatments, reducing mortality and life expectancy in affected animals. Further research is warranted to explore the broader applications of DKI in diagnosing degenerative spine conditions.
Key words: Diffusion kurtosis imaging, Degenerative spine, Animal model, Intervertebral disc space, Spinal cord
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