Differentiation of multiple system atrophy from idiopathic Parkinson's disease using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, localized to the lentiform nucleus, was carried out in 7 patients with the pure or predominantly striatonigral variant (SND) of multiple system atrophy (MSA), 5 patients with the olivopontocerebellar variant of MSA, 9 patients with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD), and 9 healthy age-matched controls. The MSA group with predominantly striatonigral involvement showed a significant reduction in the N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine ratio (median, 1.19; range, 0.96-2.0; p < 0.02) compared with the NAA/creatine ratio from the control group (median, 1.76; range, 1.61-2.0). In contrast, the IPD group had a normal NAA/creatine ratio (median, 1.82; range, 1.19-2.31; p > 0.05). The NAA/creatine ratio was markedly reduced in 6 of the SND patients and in only 1 IPD patient. The choline/creatine ratio was also significantly lower in the SND group (median, 1.02; range, 0.91-1.23; p < 0.04) compared with the control group (median, 1.22; range, 1.05-1.65). The IPD group showed a normal lentiform choline/creatine ratio (median, 1.13; range, 0.89-1.65; p = 0.25) compared with controls. The olivopontocerebellar group also showed a significant reduction in the NAA/creatine ratio from the lentiform nucleus (median, 1.47; range, 1.22-1.68; p < 0.01) compared with the controls as well as a nonsignificant reduction in the choline/creatine ratio (median, 0.93; range, 0.85-1.27; p < 0.4).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Department of Clinical Neurology, Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
C A
CA
Davie
G K
GK
Wenning
G J
GJ
Barker
P S
PS
Tofts
B E
BE
Kendall
N
N
Quinn
W I
WI
McDonald
C D
CD
Marsden
D H
DH
Miller
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D001284:Atrophy; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002794:Choline / Q000032:analysis; D003401:Creatine / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D011522:Protons; D011699:Putamen / Q000473:pathology
D011522:Protons; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline