Abstract
Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with severe cervical cord damage due to degeneration of the corticospinal tracts and loss of lower motor neurones. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT MRI) allows the measurement of quantities reflecting the size (such as mean diffusivity) and orientation (such as fractional anisotropy) of water-filled spaces in biological tissues. Methods: Mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy histograms from the cervical cord of patients with ALS were obtained to: (1) quantify the extent of tissue damage in this critical central nervous system region; and (2) investigate the magnitude of the correlation of cervical cord DT MRI metrics with patients' disability and tissue damage along the brain portion of the corticospinal tracts. Cervical cord and brain DT MRI scans were obtained from 28 patients with ALS and 20 age-matched and sex-matched controls. Cord mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy histograms were produced and the cord cross-sectional area was measured. Average mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy along the brain portion of the corticospinal tracts were also measured. Results: Compared with controls, patients with ALS had significantly lower mean fractional anisotropy (p = 0.002) and cord cross-sectional area (p
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 480-484 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry |
| Volume | 78 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2007 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
- Neuroscience(all)
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Diffusion anisotropy of the cervical cord is strictly associated with disability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. / Valsasina, P.; Agosta, F.; Benedetti, B.; Caputo, D.; Perini, M.; Salvi, F.; Prelle, A.; Filippi, M.
In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Vol. 78, No. 5, 05.2007, p. 480-484.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Diffusion anisotropy of the cervical cord is strictly associated with disability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
AU - Valsasina, P.
AU - Agosta, F.
AU - Benedetti, B.
AU - Caputo, D.
AU - Perini, M.
AU - Salvi, F.
AU - Prelle, A.
AU - Filippi, M.
PY - 2007/5
Y1 - 2007/5
N2 - Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with severe cervical cord damage due to degeneration of the corticospinal tracts and loss of lower motor neurones. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT MRI) allows the measurement of quantities reflecting the size (such as mean diffusivity) and orientation (such as fractional anisotropy) of water-filled spaces in biological tissues. Methods: Mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy histograms from the cervical cord of patients with ALS were obtained to: (1) quantify the extent of tissue damage in this critical central nervous system region; and (2) investigate the magnitude of the correlation of cervical cord DT MRI metrics with patients' disability and tissue damage along the brain portion of the corticospinal tracts. Cervical cord and brain DT MRI scans were obtained from 28 patients with ALS and 20 age-matched and sex-matched controls. Cord mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy histograms were produced and the cord cross-sectional area was measured. Average mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy along the brain portion of the corticospinal tracts were also measured. Results: Compared with controls, patients with ALS had significantly lower mean fractional anisotropy (p = 0.002) and cord cross-sectional area (p
AB - Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with severe cervical cord damage due to degeneration of the corticospinal tracts and loss of lower motor neurones. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT MRI) allows the measurement of quantities reflecting the size (such as mean diffusivity) and orientation (such as fractional anisotropy) of water-filled spaces in biological tissues. Methods: Mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy histograms from the cervical cord of patients with ALS were obtained to: (1) quantify the extent of tissue damage in this critical central nervous system region; and (2) investigate the magnitude of the correlation of cervical cord DT MRI metrics with patients' disability and tissue damage along the brain portion of the corticospinal tracts. Cervical cord and brain DT MRI scans were obtained from 28 patients with ALS and 20 age-matched and sex-matched controls. Cord mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy histograms were produced and the cord cross-sectional area was measured. Average mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy along the brain portion of the corticospinal tracts were also measured. Results: Compared with controls, patients with ALS had significantly lower mean fractional anisotropy (p = 0.002) and cord cross-sectional area (p
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U2 - 10.1136/jnnp.2006.100032
DO - 10.1136/jnnp.2006.100032
M3 - Article
VL - 78
SP - 480
EP - 484
JO - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
JF - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
SN - 0022-3050
IS - 5
ER -