title: Segmentation and volumetric analysis of the caudate nucleus in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A quantitative volumetric analysis of caudate nucleus can provide valuable information in early diagnosis and prognosis of patients with Alzheimer's diseases (AD). Purpose of the study is to estimate the volume of segmented caudate nucleus from MR images and to correlate the variation in the segmented volume with respect to the total brain volume. We have also tried to evaluate the caudate nucleus atrophy with the age related atrophy of white matter (WM), gray matter (GM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a group of Alzheimer's disease patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  3D fast low angle shot (3D FLASH) brain MR images of 15 AD patients, 15 normal volunteers and 15 patients who had normally diagnosed MR images were included in the study. Brain tissue and caudate nuclei were segmented using the statistical parametric mapping package and a semi-automatic tool, respectively and the volumes were estimated. Volume of segmented caudate nucleus is correlated with respect to the total brain volume. Further, the caudate nucleus atrophy is estimated with the age related atrophy of WM, GM and CSF in a group of AD patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant reduction in the caudate volume of AD patients was observed compared to that of the normal volunteers. Statistical analysis also showed significant variation in the volume of GM and CSF of AD patients. Among the patients who had normal appearing brain, 33% showed significant changes in the caudate volume. We hypothesize that these changes can be considered as an indication of early AD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method of volumetric analysis of brain structures is simple and effective way of early diagnosis of neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease. We have illustrated this with the observed changes in the volume of caudate nucleus in a group of patients. A detailed study with more subjects will be useful in correlating these results for early diagnosis of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Trivandrum 695581, Kerala, India. jijiaiswaryap@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sudevan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiji
authors.forename: Karavallil Achuthan
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Smitha
authors.forename: Arun Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Vellara Pappukutty Mahadevan
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: Ramapurath S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Jayasree
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D009929:Organ Size; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: AD; Alzheimer's disease; CN; CSF; Caudate nucleus; Caudate volume; GM; Image segmentation; VBM; WM; caudate nucleus; cerebrospinal fluid; grey matter; voxel based morphometry; white matter