Detection of pyramidal tract lesions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with magnetization-transfer measurements.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the presence of small lesions in the pyramidal tract in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by using magnetization-transfer (MT) measurements and MR imaging.


METHODS
MT ratios (MTRs) were measured in the posterior limb of the internal capsule in nine patients with ALS and in nine healthy volunteers.


RESULTS
The mean value of MTRs (%) in patients with ALS was 15.76 +/- 1.48, while that of the control subjects was 19.83 +/- 1.54. The difference was statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
MT measurements are useful for detecting abnormalities associated with degeneration of the pyramidal tract in patients with ALS.
Kato
Y
Y
Department of Neurology, Mie University School of Medicine, Japan.
Matsumura
K
K
Kinosada
Y
Y
Narita
Y
Y
Kuzuhara
S
S
Nakagawa
T
T
D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values