Linear structural features of Wilson's disease and its correlation with neurological symptoms

To measure the linear structure of the brain in patients with Wilson's disease (WD) and analyze its correlation with neurological symptoms. A total of 174 patients diagnosed with WD were enrolled. According to the type of clinical presentation, the patients with WD were divided into two groups: neurological (NWD) and hepatic (HWD). Sixty healthy volunteers were assigned to a control group. All patients with WD and healthy controls underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The severity of the neurological symptoms was assessed using the Burke Fahn Marsden Movement subscale (BFM-M). Linear brain measurements were performed using T1-weighted MRI scans of all the patients, and the correlation between these linear indices and BFM-M score was investigated. The Huckman index, third ventricle width, and sulcus width of the NWD group were significantly higher than those of the HWD and control groups (P < .05). The frontal horn index, ventricular index, and lateral ventricular body width index of the NWD group were significantly lower than those of the HWD and control groups (P < .05). The Huckman index and third ventricle width of the HWD group were higher than those of the control group (P < .05), whereas the body width index of the lateral ventricle was lower than that of the control group (P < .05). The BFM-M score correlated with the Huckman index (r = 0.29, P < .05), third ventricle width (r = 0.426, P < .001), and lateral ventricular body width index (r = -0.19, P < .05). This study demonstrated significant changes in the linear structure of patients with WD. Linear brain measurement analysis could be used as a potential method to assess the severity of neurological symptoms in WD.