title: Diffusion-weighted imaging in acute demyelinating myelopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has become a reference MRI technique for the evaluation of neurological disorders. Few publications have investigated the application of DWI for inflammatory demyelinating lesions. The purpose of the study was to describe diffusion-weighted imaging characteristics of acute, spinal demyelinating lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six consecutive patients (two males, four females; aged 28-64 years) with acute spinal cord demyelinating lesions were studied in a prospective case series design from June 2009 to October 2010. We performed magnetic resonance imaging studies from 2 to 14 days from symptom onset on the patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (n = 3) or clinically isolated syndrome (n = 3). Main outcome measures were diffusion-weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient pattern (ADC) of acute spinal cord demyelinating lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All spinal lesions showed a restricted diffusion pattern (DWI+/ADC-) with a 24% median ADC signal decrease. A good correlation between clinical presentation and lesion site was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute demyelinating spinal cord lesions show a uniform restricted diffusion pattern. Clinicians and neuro-radiologists should be aware that this pattern is not necessarily confirmatory for an ischaemic aetiology.
authors: Servizio di Neurologia e Neuroradiologia, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ospedale Regionale di Lugano, via Tesserete 46, 6903, Lugano, Switzerland. chiara.zecca@eoc.ch
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Zecca
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Cereda
authors: Stephan
authors: S
authors: Wetzel
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Tschuor
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Staedler
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Santini
authors: Navarajah
authors: N
authors: Nadarajah
authors: Claudio L
authors: CL
authors: Bassetti
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Gobbi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology*