title: Quantitative brain MR imaging in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the potential of quantitative MR techniques [voxel-based morphometry (VBM), T2-relaxometry, mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA)] in the diagnostics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three ALS patients and thirty age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included in the cross-sectional study. T1WI, T2WI and T2 relaxometry sequences were performed at 1.5T. DWI was performed in a subgroup of 12 patients. Disease severity was estimated with the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALS-FRS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We detected decreased T2 relaxation rate (R2) in the frontal white matter (FWM) (left and right P < 0.005) and caudate nucleus (left P < 0.005) in ALS patients. R2 in the FWM correlated with age in patients and controls. A correlation (P < 0.01, cluster-level corrected) between atrophy in the corona radiata and the limb ALS-FRS subset was found, as well as a difference between patients and controls in this area. No correlation between FA/MD and ALS-FRS was observed in the T2 hyperintense region of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), or in the site of atrophy detected by VBM. No R2 or PD changes in the PLIC were detected. TBSS revealed decreased FA in the corona radiata and callosal body.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased R2 in the left caudate and bilateral FWM may help in the diagnostic process and disqualifies these regions as internal controls in ALS studies. The PLIC is not a reliable diagnostic marker of ALS.
authors.affiliation: Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiří
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vymazal
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ridzoň
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rusina
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kulišt'ák
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Malíková
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rulseh
authors.forename: Otakar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jech
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index