title: Characterization of ataxias with magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy.
abstract: A wide variety of autosomal transmitted ataxias exist and their ultimate characterization requires genetic testing. Common clinical characteristics among different ataxia types complicate the choice of the appropriate genetic test. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) generally show cerebellar or cerebral atrophy and perturbed metabolite levels which differ between ataxias. In order to help the clinician accurately identify the ataxia type, reported MRI and MRS data in different brain regions are summarized for more than 60 different types of autosomal inherited and sporadic ataxias.
authors.affiliation: Département de Radiologie, Hôpital Saint-Luc, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 1058 St-Denis, Montréal, Québec, Canada H2X 3J4.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viau
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Boulanger
mesh_terms: D001259:Ataxia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy