Diffusion tensor imaging in the diagnosis of primary lateral sclerosis.
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.
Uluğ
Aziz M
AM
Department of Radiology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10021, USA. amu@watts.med.cornell.edu
Grünewald
Thomas
T
Lin
Michael T
MT
Kamal
Ayeesha K
AK
Filippi
Christopher G
CG
Zimmerman
Robert D
RD
Beal
M Flint
MF
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*