title: Magnetization transfer measurements of cerebral white matter in patients with myotonic dystrophy.
abstract: To determine whether patients with myotonic dystrophy (MyD) have structural changes in the cerebral white matter, we performed magnetization transfer (MT) imaging of the cerebral white matter in 14 MyD patients and 11 age-matched normal controls. We calculated MT ratios in both the white matter lesions (WMLs) and the normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) of MyD patients using region of interest (ROI) analysis. MT ratios in WMLs were markedly decreased, and all ROIs in NAWM also showed significantly lower MT ratios in MyD patients than in normal controls. The average MT ratio of all ROIs in WMLs and NAWM in each patient showed a significant negative correlation with duration of illness, but not with the patient's age or age at onset. The results of the present study indicate not only the presence of pathological changes in WMLs but also the widespread involvement of NAWM in MyD patients. The results also suggest that structural changes in the white matter may be progressive during the clinical course of MyD.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan. h.naka@do4.enjoy.ne.jp
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: Yukari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imon
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohshita
authors.forename: Kie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honjo
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Yasuyo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mimori
authors.forename: Shigenobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009223:Myotonic Dystrophy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014855:Wallerian Degeneration / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology