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Published on: August 11, 2016
Assessment of axonal degeneration along the human visual pathway using diffusion trace analysis
Satoshi Ueki1, Yukihiko Fujii, Hitoshi Matsuzawa
1Center for Integrated Human Brain Science, Brain Research Institute, University of Niigata, Niigata, Japan.
American Journal of Ophthalmology
|October 3, 2006
Summary
Diffusion trace value analysis effectively detects retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axonal degeneration non-invasively. This method quantifies pathology along the visual pathway, aiding clinical assessment of optic neuropathies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Ophthalmology
- Neurology
Background:
- Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axonal degeneration is a hallmark of various optic neuropathies.
- Non-invasive methods for assessing RGC axonal integrity are crucial for clinical management.
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics, like trace, show promise in detecting microstructural changes in axons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of diffusion trace value analysis for non-invasive assessment of RGC axonal degeneration.
- To assess RGC axonal integrity at multiple anatomic levels of the human visual pathway in a clinical setting.
Main Methods:
- An imaging study involving ten patients with unilateral chronic optic neuropathy and 16 age-matched normal subjects.
- Analysis of trace values, a tensor invariant sensitive to axonal pathology, at nine specific anatomic sites.
- Utilized a 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging system for data acquisition.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher trace values were observed in the optic nerve and uncrossed chiasmal fibers ipsilateral to the affected eye, as well as in the crossed chiasmal fibers and optic tracts bilaterally, compared to normal subjects.
- Trace values in the optic nerve and uncrossed chiasmal fibers ipsilateral to the unaffected side, and optic radiations bilaterally, did not differ significantly from normal controls.
- The increase in trace value was more pronounced in the optic nerve and uncrossed chiasmal fibers ipsilateral to the affected side compared to crossed chiasmal fibers and optic tracts.
Conclusions:
- Diffusion trace value analysis findings are consistent with RGC axonal degeneration and correlate quantitatively with predicted pathology.
- Trace value measurement at multiple sites along fiber pathways is a valuable addition to clinical assessment of visual pathway functionality.
- This non-invasive technique aids in evaluating the visual pathways during various stages of pathologic processes.
