ReviewClinical and translational imaging2020
Diffusion tensor imaging of the roots of the brachial plexus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of normative values.
Review in Clinical and translational imaging, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Meta-analysis of the normal diffusion tensor imaging values of the peripheral nerves in the upper limb.Scientific reports · 2023Pooled it
- Brachial Plexopathies: A Comprehensive Radiologic Method Integrating Ultrasound and MRI.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Outcome Prediction by Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) in Patients with Traumatic Injuries of the Median Nerve.Neurology international · 2024Article
- Magnetic resonance tractography of the brachial plexus: step-by-step.Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2022Article
- Methodologies and MR Parameters in Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Neurography: A Scoping Review Protocol.Methods and protocols · 2022Article
- Fractional anisotropy thresholding for deterministic tractography of the roots of the brachial plexus.Scientific reports · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
purposeDiffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) characterises tissue microstructure and provides proxy measures of myelination, axon diameter, fibre density and organisation. This may be valuable in the assessment of the roots of the brachial plexus in health and disease. Therefore, there is a need to define the normal DTI values.
methodsThe literature was systematically searched for studies of asymptomatic adults who underwent DTI of the brachial plexus. Participant characteristics, scanning protocols, and measurements of the fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) of each spinal root were extracted by two independent review authors. Generalised linear modelling was used to estimate the effect of experimental conditions on the FA and MD. Meta-analysis of root-level estimates was performed using Cohen's method with random effects.
resultsNine articles, describing 316 adults (1:1 male:female) of mean age 35 years (SD 6) were included. Increments of ten diffusion sensitising gradient directions reduced the mean FA by 0.01 (95% CI 0.01, 0.03). Each year of life reduced the mean MD by 0.03 × 10
conclusionsThe FA and MD of the roots of the brachial plexus vary according to experimental conditions and participant factors. We provide summary estimates of the normative values in different conditions which may be valuable to researchers and clinicians alike.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.