Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 4, 2025
Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Pre- and post-therapeutic evaluation of liver and spleen in type I and type III Gaucher's disease using diffusion
Eman Alnaghy1, Ahmed Abdel Razek2, Ebrahim Abdelhalim3
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. emnaghi@hotmail.com.
Purpose:
To assess the role of diffusion tensor imaging in assessing liver and splenic parenchymal infiltration in Gaucher's disease (G.D.) type I and III before and after therapy.
Methods:
A prospective study was conducted upon 28 consecutive patients with G.D. type I and III and 28 age and sex-matched controls. They underwent an MRI and DTI of the liver and spleen. Mean diffusivity (M.D.) and fractional anisotropy (F.A.) values of the liver and spleen were evaluated before and after treatment and compared with control.
Results:
There was a statistically significant difference in the M.D. value of the liver and spleen between untreated patients and controls and between control and treated patients and in the M.D. value of the liver and spleen between untreated and treated patients. There is a statistically significant difference in the F.A. value of the liver and spleen between untreated patients and controls and in the F.A. value of the liver and spleen between untreated and treated patients. Hemoglobin level was positively correlated with the M.D. value of the spleen. Clinical score was negatively correlated with M.D. value of the spleen and was positively correlated with F.A. values of the liver and F.A. values of the spleen. Spleen volume was negatively correlated with M.D. values of the spleen.
Conclusion:
Significant difference in M.D. and F.A. values of liver and splenic parenchyma in p atients with type I and III G.D. and controls, and between untreated and treated patients. The M.D. and F.A. values were well correlated with some biomarkers of disease activity.
