To　compare　diffusion　tensor　imaging　(DTI)　parameters　of　the　spinal　cord　between　patients　with　cervical　spondylotic　myelopathy　(CSM)　and　normal　subjects,　and　investigate　their　significance　in　the　clinical　diagnosis,　surgical　planning　and　post-operative　evaluation　of　CSM.　Routine　sequence　magnetic　resonance　imaging　(MRI)　and　DTI　scans　were　performed　in　50　normal　subjects　and　60　cases　of　CSM　with　3.0-T　MR.　DTI　images,　apparent　diffusion　coefficient　(ADC)　and　fractional　anisotropy　(FA)　colormaps　corresponding　to　spinal　cord　cross-sections　were　obtained.　The　spinal　cord　function　of　CSM　patients　was　measured　using　modified　Japanese　Orthopaedic　Association　(mJOA)　scoring　and　Nurick　grade　at　different　times.　The　changes　in　DTI　parameters　and　their　correlation　with　spinal　cord　function　scores　were　analysed　by　SPSS　19.　There　were　significant　differences　in　DTI　parameters　of　the　spinal　cord　between　normal　subjects　and　patients　with　CSM　(ADC:　1.119　+/-　0.087　vs.　1.395　+/-　0.091,　P　＜　0.01;　FA:　0.661　+/-　0.057　vs.　0.420　+/-　0.080,　P　＜　0.01).　The　FA　values　at　the　maximal　compression　level　of　the　spinal　cord　in　the　patients　with　CSM　were　significantly　associated　with　the　mJOA　score　pre-operatively,　1　week,　and　1,　3　and　6　months　post-operatively,　with　Pearson＇s　correlation　coefficients　of　0.58　(P　＜　0.01),　0.53　(P　＜　0.05),　and　0.51　(P　＜　0.05),　0.54　(P　＜　0.05)　and　0.55　(P　＜　0.05),　respectively.　However,　the　FA　values　were　significantly　negatively　associated　with　the　Nurick　grade,　with　Pearson＇s　correlation　coefficients　of　-　0.40　(P　＜　0.05),　-　0.39　(P　＜　0.05),　and　-0.41　(P　＜　0.05),　-　0.45　(P　＜　0.05)　and　-　0.44　(P　＜　0.05),　respectively.　DTI　may　play　a　significant　role　in　diagnosing　and　predicting　the　development　of　CSM.　These　slides　can　be　retrieved　under　Electronic　Supplementary　Material.　[GRAPHICS]　.