Diffusion　tensor　imaging　is　a　sensitive　way　to　reflect　axonal　necrosis　and　degeneration,　glial　cell　regeneration　and　demyelination　following　spinal　cord　injury,　and　to　display　microstructure　changes　in　the　spinal　cord　in　vivo.　Diffusion　tensor　imaging　technology　is　a　sensitive　method　to　diagnose　spinal　cord　injury;　fiber　tractography　visualizes　the　white　matter　fibers,　and　directly　displays　the　structural　integrity　and　resultant　damage　of　the　fiber　bundle.　At　present,　diffusion　tensor　imaging　is　restricted　to　brain　examinations,　and　is　rarely　applied　in　the　evaluation　of　spinal　cord　injury.　This　study　aimed　to　explore　the　fractional　anisotropy　and　apparent　diffusion　coefficient　of　diffiision　tensor　magnetic　resonance　imaging　and　the　feasibility　of　diffusion　tensor　tractography　in　the　evaluation　of　complete　spinal　cord　injury　in　rats.　The　results　showed　that　the　average　combined　scores　were　obviously　decreased　after　spinal　cord　transection　in　rats,　and　then　began　to　increase　over　time.　The　fractional　anisotropy　scores　after　spinal　cord　transection　in　rats　were　significantly　lower　than　those　in　normal　rats　(P　＜　0.05);　the　apparent　diffusion　coefficient　was　significantly　increased　compared　with　the　normal　group　(P　＜　0.05).　Following　spinal　cord　transection,　fractional　anisotropy　scores　were　negatively　correlated　with　apparent　diffusion　coefficient　values　(r　=　-0.856,　P　＜　0.01),　and　positively　correlated　with　the　average　combined　scores　(r　=　0.943,　P　＜　0.01),　while　apparent　diffusion　coefficient　values　had　a　negative　correlation　with　the　average　combined　scores　(r　=　-0.949,　P　＜　0.01).　Experimental　findings　suggest　that,　as　a　non-invasive　examination,　diffusion　tensor　magnetic　resonance　imaging　can　provide　qualitative　and　quantitative　information　about　spinal　cord　injury.　The　fractional　anisotropy　score　and　apparent　diffusion　coefficient　have　a　good　correlation　with　the　average　combined　scores,　which　reflect　functional　recovery　after　spinal　cord　injury.