Alzheimer disease and subcortical ischemic vascular dementia: evaluation by combining MR imaging segmentation and H-1 MR spectroscopic imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the association between H-1 magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic imaging and MR imaging differences in subjects with Alzheimer disease (AD) or subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD) versus control subjects and if both studies combined enable discrimination of AD from control subjects better than either study alone.


METHODS
Measures were obtained in nine AD, eight SIVD, and 11 control subjects with MR imaging segmentation software.


RESULTS
Statistically significantly lower N-acetylaspartate/choline-containing metabolites (Cho) and higher Cho/creatine-containing metabolites in posterior mesial gray matter in AD versus control subjects were independent of MR imagining differences. Combined measures allowed correct classification of AD and control subjects, but none of the MR measures allowed accurate discrimination between AD and SIVD subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Between-group differences in tissue-type contributions to H-1 MR spectroscopic imaging voxels must be accounted for when reporting H-1 MR spectroscopic imaging data in AD, SIVD, and control subjects. Combined studies allowed more accurate discrimination between AD and control subjects than either study alone.
MacKay
S
S
Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Medical Center, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Unit, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
Ezekiel
F
F
Di Sclafani
V
V
Meyerhoff
D J
DJ
Gerson
J
J
Norman
D
D
Fein
G
G
Weiner
M W
MW
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male