Lateral Geniculate Nucleus Volume Assessed by 7 Tesla MRI 3D MT-Weighted SILENT Protocol in Patients with STARGARDT...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Ophthalmology
• Neurology

Background:

• Stargardt disease (STGD) is a leading inherited retinal dystrophy.
• Structural changes in the brain, particularly the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), are increasingly recognized in STGD.
• Quantitative assessment of LGN volume can provide insights into disease mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) volume using 7 Tesla (7T) MRI in patients with Stargardt disease (STGD).
• To compare LGN volume and its ratio to thalamus volume between STGD patients and healthy controls.
• To explore the potential of 7T MRI as a biomarker for STGD.

Main Methods:

• 18 patients with STGD and 15 healthy controls underwent brain 7T MRI.
• Manual segmentation of LGN volume using ITK-SNAP software by three independent radiologists.
• Automated evaluation of thalamus volume using FreeSurfer software.
• Preceding ophthalmic examination and 1.5T MRI were performed.

Main Results:

• Significantly smaller average LGN volumes were observed in both hemispheres of STGD patients compared to controls (p < 0.0001).
• The right LGN/thalamus volume ratio was significantly lower in STGD patients (0.014) than in controls (0.017) (p = 0.024).
• 7T MRI revealed significant structural differences in the LGN of STGD patients.

Conclusions:

• Right and left LGN volumes are reduced in STGD patients compared to controls, as shown by 7T MRI.
• The right LGN/thalamus ratio is also significantly reduced in STGD patients.
• 3D MT-weighted SILENT 7T MRI offers novel insights into brain structural changes in STGD and may serve as a marker for future therapy response.