Characteristic signal changes in the pontine base on T2- and multishot diffusion-weighted images in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1.
The aim of the present study was to demonstrate characteristic signal changes of the pontine base on T2-weighted images of patients with SCA 1, and to elucidate the relationship between abnormal high-intensities of the pontine base on T2-weighted images and the findings on multishot diffusion-weighted images. We assessed abnormal signals of the pontine base on T2-weighted images from 50 controls and six patients with SCA 1 diagnosed by genetic analysis. At the same time, we evaluated the degeneration of the transverse pontine fibers in the pontine base by multishot diffusion-weighted imaging. A midline high-intensity was seen in the pontine base on T2-weighted images in two of the 50 controls and five of the six patients with SCA 1. The midline high-intensity had a sensitivity of 83.3% for patients and a specificity of 96.0% for controls. Multishot diffusion-weighted imaging demonstrated the degeneration--the amorphous-pattern signal--of the transverse pontine fibers in four (66.7%) of the six patients. In the other two patients, the zebra-pattern signal was seen in the pontine base. The midline high-intensity on T2-weighted images appears to be one of characteristic MRI findings of SCA 1. Multishot diffusion-weighted imaging suggested that the midline high-intensity should reflect the degeneration of the transverse pontine fibers.
Adachi
M
M
Department of Radiology of Ohshima Clinic, 1-14 Yonchyome, Sakurada Nishi, Yamagata, 990-2321, Japan. miadchi@beach.ocn.ne.jp
Kawanami
T
T
Ohshima
H
H
Hosoya
T
T
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011149:Pons / Q000473:pathology*; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology