Diffusion Tensor Imaging in NAWM and NADGM in MS and CIS: Association with Candidate Biomarkers in Sera.
The aim of this study was to evaluate diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices in the corpus callosum and pyramidal tract in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and the caudate nucleus and thalamus in deep grey matter (NADGM) in all MS subtypes and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Furthermore, it was determined whether these metrics are associated with clinical measures and the serum levels of candidate immune biomarkers. Apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) values were significantly higher than in controls in all six studied NAWM regions in SPMS, 4/6 regions in RRMS and PPMS and 2/6 regions in CIS. In contrast, decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) values in comparison to controls were detected in 2/6 NAWM regions in SPMS and 1/6 in RRMS and PPMS. In RRMS, the level of neurological disability correlated with thalamic FA values (r = 0.479, P = 0.004). In chronic progressive subtypes and CIS, ADC values of NAWM and NADGM were associated with the levels of MIF, sFas, and sTNF- α . Our data indicate that DTI may be useful in detecting pathological changes in NAWM and NADGM in MS patients and that these changes are related to neurological disability.
Neuroimmunology Unit, Medical School, University of Tampere, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
Renuka
R
Natarajan
Neuroimmunology Unit, Medical School, University of Tampere, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
Sanna
S
Hagman
Neuroimmunology Unit, Medical School, University of Tampere, 33520 Tampere, Finland ; Department of Neurology, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
Xingchen
X
Wu
Department of Neurology, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland ; Department of Radiology, Medical Imaging Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
Ullamari
U
Hakulinen
Neuroimmunology Unit, Medical School, University of Tampere, 33520 Tampere, Finland ; Department of Neurology, Seinäjoki Central Hospital, 60220 Seinäjoki, Finland.
Minna
M
Raunio
Science Center, Pirkanmaa Hospital District and School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
Mika
M
Helminen
Department of Neurology, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
Maija
M
Rossi
Department of Neurology, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
Prasun
P
Dastidar
Neuroimmunology Unit, Medical School, University of Tampere, 33520 Tampere, Finland ; Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
Irina
I
Elovaara