Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Objective: To explore the value of diffusion tensor imaging applied to those specific cerebral white matter tracts consistently involved pathologically in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as a source of prognostic biomarkers. Design: Baseline clinical assessment and 3-T diffusion tensor imaging, repeated after approximately 6 months. Tract-based spatial statistics were used to assess voxelwise correlations of just the baseline diffusion tensor imaging indices with the progression rate (change in disability score/time interval) within the corticospinal tract and corpus callosum. Patients: The study involved 21 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 3 patients with primary lateral sclerosis. Results: Correlation was observed between fractional anisotropy and progression rate for a region of the corticospinal tract spanning the posterior limb of the internal capsule, with a left hemisphere emphasis. Posterior limb of the internal capsule fractional anisotropy showed potential to distinguish those patients with rapid progression. Axial diffusivity significantly increased in this region in a paired t test analysis of baseline and follow-up diffusion tensor imaging, in keeping with axonal damage. No correlations were noted for the corpus callosum. Conclusions: Posterior limb of the internal capsule fractional anisotropy is a candidate prognostic marker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, with potential to identify incident cases with more rapid progression. ©2012 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.

Original publication

DOI

10.1001/archneurol.2012.1122

Type

Journal article

Journal

Archives of Neurology

Publication Date

01/11/2012

Volume

69

Pages

1493 - 1499