TY - JOUR
T1 - Reduced fractional anisotropy in early-stage cerebellar variant of multiple system atrophy
AU - Oishi, Kenichi
AU - Konishi, Junya
AU - Mori, Susumu
AU - Ishihara, Hiroyuki
AU - Kawamitsu, Hideaki
AU - Fujii, Masahiko
AU - Kanda, Fumio
PY - 2009/4
Y1 - 2009/4
N2 - BACKGROUND: In patients with the cerebellar variant of multiple system atrophy (MSA-C), reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) has been reported in several brain areas. However, since previous studies have employed predetermined regions of interest (ROI), the brain areas showing the earliest alterations in FA are unknown. The sensitivity of detecting early-stage MSA-C and the time course of the FA reduction are also unknown. The purpose was to address these issues to determine the diagnostic value of FA for early diagnosis. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with MSA-C were investigated. Voxel-based FA analysis and morphometry were used to detect the differences between early-stage MSA-C and normal controls. An ROI-based FA analysis was also used to clarify the temporal profile. RESULTS: From the early-stage, MSA-C patients exhibited reduced FA and white matter atrophy in the middle cerebellar peduncle, the inferior cerebellar peduncle, and the ventral pons. The FA of these areas decreased rapidly during the first few years after onset, after which a rather gradual reduction occurred. The receiver operating characteristics analysis revealed a high sensitivity and specificity for discriminating early MSA-C from normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: FA measurement could potentially be used to make an early diagnosis and monitor progression in MSA-C patients.
AB - BACKGROUND: In patients with the cerebellar variant of multiple system atrophy (MSA-C), reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) has been reported in several brain areas. However, since previous studies have employed predetermined regions of interest (ROI), the brain areas showing the earliest alterations in FA are unknown. The sensitivity of detecting early-stage MSA-C and the time course of the FA reduction are also unknown. The purpose was to address these issues to determine the diagnostic value of FA for early diagnosis. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with MSA-C were investigated. Voxel-based FA analysis and morphometry were used to detect the differences between early-stage MSA-C and normal controls. An ROI-based FA analysis was also used to clarify the temporal profile. RESULTS: From the early-stage, MSA-C patients exhibited reduced FA and white matter atrophy in the middle cerebellar peduncle, the inferior cerebellar peduncle, and the ventral pons. The FA of these areas decreased rapidly during the first few years after onset, after which a rather gradual reduction occurred. The receiver operating characteristics analysis revealed a high sensitivity and specificity for discriminating early MSA-C from normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: FA measurement could potentially be used to make an early diagnosis and monitor progression in MSA-C patients.
KW - Cerebellar ataxia
KW - Diffusion tensor imaging
KW - Fractional anisotropy
KW - Multiple system atrophy
KW - Voxel-based morphometry
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1552-6569.2008.00262.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1552-6569.2008.00262.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 18498329
AN - SCOPUS:63149197766
SN - 1051-2284
VL - 19
SP - 127
EP - 131
JO - Journal of Neuroimaging
JF - Journal of Neuroimaging
IS - 2
ER -