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Whole-brain Segmentation and Change-point Analysis of Anatomical Brain MRI—Application in Premanifest Huntington's Disease
09:06

Whole-brain Segmentation and Change-point Analysis of Anatomical Brain MRI—Application in Premanifest Huntington's Disease

Published on: June 9, 2018

Caudate volume as an outcome measure in clinical trials for Huntington's disease: a pilot study

E H Aylward1, A Rosenblatt, K Field

  • 1Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Box 357115, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. eaylward@u.washington.edu

Brain Research Bulletin
|November 26, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Caudate volume decrease is a significant indicator in Huntington's disease (HD) progression. Measuring this change with MRI is a feasible outcome for clinical trials, potentially requiring fewer participants.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Clinical Trials
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Longitudinal changes in caudate volume are observable in Huntington's disease (HD).
  • Assessing caudate volume change via MRI is crucial for evaluating treatment efficacy in HD clinical trials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the feasibility and validity of caudate volume measurement using MRI as an outcome measure in a clinical trial setting for Huntington's disease.
  • To evaluate the significance of caudate volume change over time in HD patients undergoing treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Pilot study involving 19 symptomatic Huntington's disease patients across two clinical trial sites.
  • Measurement of caudate volumes using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on pre- and post-treatment scans.
  • Analysis of data from the CARE-HD (Co-enzyme Q10 and Remacemide: Evaluation in Huntington's Disease) 30-month clinical trial.

Main Results:

  • A statistically significant decrease in caudate volume was observed over the study period.
  • Power analysis suggests that a relatively small number of subjects are needed for trials utilizing caudate volume as an outcome measure.
  • Identified advantages and disadvantages of employing MRI-based caudate volume measurement in clinical trials.

Conclusions:

  • Quantitative neuroimaging of caudate volume is a feasible and valid outcome measure for Huntington's disease clinical trials.
  • Recommends the adoption of MRI caudate volume assessment in future HD treatment studies.
  • Highlights the potential for efficient clinical trial design with this neuroimaging biomarker.

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