title: Comparison of deep gray matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging among adults with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, multiple sclerosis, and neuromyelitis optica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deep gray matter lesions have been reported in patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), multiple sclerosis (MS), and neuromyelitis optica (NMO).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the features of deep gray matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among adult patients with ADEM, MS, and NMO.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-five adult patients with ADEM (n=12), MS (n=60), and NMO (n=23) who had deep gray matter lesions on MRI were enrolled. Morphological features of deep gray matter lesions among these patients were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Putamen involvement was more common in patients with ADEM than in patients with MS and NMO. Differing from children, thalamus involvement might not be helpful in differentiating ADEM from MS in adults. Hypothalamus involvement was more common in patients with NMO than in patients with ADEM and MS. More importantly, bilateral hypothalamus involvement was more helpful in differentiating NMO from MS. The diameter of the thalamus lesions in patients with ADEM was larger than that in patients with NMO.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Morphological features of deep gray matter lesions vary among adult patients with ADEM, MS, and NMO, and may be helpful in distinguishing these diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Bingjun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Suqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xuejiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Men
authors.forename: Yinyao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Zhengqi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D004673:Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Multiple sclerosis; acute disseminated encephalomyelitis; magnetic resonance imaging; neuromyelitis optica