title: Diffusion tensor imaging findings in neurologically asymptomatic patients with end stage renal disease.
abstract: Various neurological problems of the brain are known to occur in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). However, little is known about diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) findings in patients with ESRD. Using DTI, we attempted to investigate DTI findings in patients with ESRD who showed no specific lesions on conventional brain MRI. We recruited 10 consecutive patients with ESRD for whom at least 3 years had passed since the start of peritoneal dialysis and who showed no neurological abnormality on neurologic examination. We excluded 6 patients who showed cerebral infarct (4 patients) and diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy (2 patients); finally, 4 patients (39.75 ± 9.84 years) were included in this study. We evaluated hand motor function and cognition. DTI data were acquired using a 1.5-T Philips Gyroscan Intera system and diffusion tensor tractographies (DTTs) for five neural tracts (corticospinal tract, fornix, superior longitudinal fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus) were evaluated. With the exception of 1 patient who revealed a mild abnormality at a higher cognitive function, no abnormalities in motor and cognitive function were observed. Among the 10 DTTs, except for those of the corticospinal tract, all 4 patients had more than one lesion. Patients with ESRD showed abnormalities on DTTs that were associated with cognition; however, they did not show significant cognitive abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Han Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Dai Seg
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Ji Heon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Su Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests