title: Diffusion tensor imaging in the diagnosis of primary lateral sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the utility of MR diffusion tensor imaging in diagnosing primary lateral sclerosis (PLS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients who met clinical criteria for a diagnosis of PLS, and two patients with possible PLS of less than three years duration and eight normal volunteers were studied using MR diffusion tensor imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All seven patients showed decreased diffusion anisotropy and increased diffusion constant in the PLIC, with complete separation from a normal control group, including patients early in the course of the illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quantitative diffusion tensor imaging appears to be a useful test to detect upper motor neuron damage and hence to help to establish the diagnosis of PLS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10021, USA. amu@watts.med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: Aziz M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Uluğ
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grünewald
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ayeesha K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Filippi
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: M Flint
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Beal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016880:Anisotropy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*