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Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
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Identifying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using diffusion tensor imaging, and correlation with neurofilament markers
Jiangbo Qin1, Xiaochun Wang1, Guiling Fan2
1Department of Radiology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, No. 85, Jiefang South Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
Scientific Reports
|November 15, 2024
Summary
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) effectively diagnoses amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by showing differences in corticospinal tract integrity. DTI parameters correlate with neurofilament biomarkers, suggesting DTI
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons.
- Accurate diagnostic tools and biomarkers for ALS are crucial for timely intervention and disease management.
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) offers insights into white matter microstructure, potentially aiding in ALS diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the diagnostic utility of DTI in differentiating ALS patients from healthy controls.
- To investigate the relationship between DTI-derived parameters and neurofilament (NF) levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
- To explore the potential of DTI metrics as surrogate biomarkers for ALS severity and progression.
Main Methods:
- DTI scans were performed on 43 clinically diagnosed ALS patients and 32 controls.
- DTI parameters, including mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA), were measured in the internal capsules and cerebral peduncles along the corticospinal tract (CST).
- Serum and CSF levels of neurofilament light chain (NFL) and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNFH) were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Main Results:
- ALS patients exhibited significantly higher MD and lower FA in the internal capsules and cerebral peduncles compared to controls (p < 0.05).
- DTI metrics demonstrated high diagnostic efficacy, with area under the curve (AUC) values ranging from 0.730 to 0.896.
- FA and MD values showed significant correlations with CSF and serum NFL and pNFH levels, with Capsule-FA exhibiting strong negative correlations with all NF markers.
Conclusions:
- DTI is a valuable tool for diagnosing ALS, showing superior performance in identifying affected individuals.
- DTI parameters are associated with neurofilament biomarkers, suggesting their role in reflecting axonal damage and disease processes in ALS.
- Capsule-FA emerges as a promising surrogate biomarker for assessing ALS disease severity and predicting progression rate.
