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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Putaminal volume and diffusion in early familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Ilana Seror1, Hedok Lee, Oren S Cohen
1Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, P.O. Box 1230, One Gustave Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA.
Background:
The putamen is centrally implicated in the pathophysiology of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). To our knowledge, its volume has never been measured in this disease. We investigated whether gross putaminal atrophy can be detected by MRI in early stages, when the diffusion is already reduced.
Methods:
Twelve familial CJD patients with the E200K mutation and 22 healthy controls underwent structural and diffusion MRI scans. The putamen was identified in anatomical scans by two methods: manual tracing by a blinded investigator, and automatic parcellation by a computerized segmentation procedure (FSL FIRST). For each method, volume and mean Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) were calculated.
Results:
ADC was significantly lower in CJD patients (697+/-64 microm(2)/s vs. 750+/-31 microm(2)/s, p<0.005), as expected, but the volume was not reduced. The computerized FIRST delineation yielded comparable ADC values to the manual method, but computerized volumes were smaller than manual tracing values.
Conclusions:
We conclude that significant diffusion reduction in the putamen can be detected by delineating the structure manually or with a computerized algorithm. Our findings confirm and extend previous voxel-based and observational studies. Putaminal volume was not reduced in our early-stage patients, thus confirming that diffusion abnormalities precede detectible atrophy in this structure.
Insights
Diffusion MRI detects early Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) changes in the putamen, showing reduced diffusion but not atrophy. These findings in familial CJD patients confirm early diffusion abnormalities precede volume loss.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Radiology
Background:
- The putamen is crucial in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) pathophysiology.
- Putaminal volume has not been previously measured in CJD.
- Early CJD detection is vital for understanding disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate early putaminal atrophy detection using MRI in CJD.
- Assess if diffusion abnormalities precede volume loss in the putamen.
- Compare manual and automated MRI segmentation methods for putamen analysis.
Main Methods:
- Structural and diffusion MRI scans were performed on 12 familial CJD patients (E200K mutation) and 22 controls.
- Putamen volume and mean Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) were calculated.
- Two segmentation methods were used: manual tracing and FSL FIRST automated parcellation.
Main Results:
- CJD patients exhibited significantly lower putaminal ADC values compared to controls (p<0.005).
- No significant reduction in putaminal volume was detected in early-stage CJD patients.
- Automated segmentation (FSL FIRST) provided comparable ADC values but smaller volumes than manual tracing.
Conclusions:
- Reduced putaminal diffusion is detectable in early CJD using both manual and automated MRI methods.
- Diffusion abnormalities in the putamen precede detectable volumetric atrophy in CJD.
- Findings support and extend previous research on CJD pathophysiology and MRI markers.
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