title: Diffusivity and diffusion anisotropy of cerebellar peduncles in cases of spinocerebellar degenerative disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study accessed the feasibility of using tractography-based analysis to evaluate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of three cerebellar peduncles in subtypes of spinocerebellar degenerative disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 7 cases of dentatorubro-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), 4 cases of multiple system atrophy, cerebellar type (MSA-C), 4 cases of late cerebellar cortical atrophy (LCCA) and 8 controls. Diffusion tensor images were obtained, and tractographies of cerebellar peduncles were generated. ADC and FA along the cerebellar peduncles and volume of cerebellar peduncle were measured, and analyses of variance were made among the control and each spinocerebellar degenerative disease groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were statistically significant decrease in FA and volume and increase in ADC values between DRPLA cases and controls in all three cerebellar peduncles. On the other hand, MSA-C cases mainly showed statistically significant decreased FA and volume and increased ADC values in the middle cerebellar peduncle. LCCA cases did not show prominent difference in the three cerebellar peduncles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The values of diffusivity and diffusion anisotropy of cerebellar peduncles evaluated by tractography based measurements seem to reflect characteristics of the different types of spinocerebellar degenerative diseases. Tractography-based measurements may be a feasible tool for differential diagnosis of spinocerebellar degenerative disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Nara Medical University, Japan. ttaoka@naramed-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taoka
authors.forename: Tesseki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kin
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Makito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Katsutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Chatchada
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wuttikul
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Kimihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kichikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016880:Anisotropy; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D009849:Olivopontocerebellar Atrophies / Q000473:pathology; D013132:Spinocerebellar Degenerations / Q000473:pathology*