title: Clinical characteristics associated with corticospinal tract hyperintensity on magnetic resonance imaging in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The usefulness of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (C-MRI) for diagnosing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of C-MRI in identifying ALS, specifically the association between corticospinal tract (CST) hyperintensity on C-MRI and clinical characteristics in patients with ALS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 2008 and April 2012, we retrospectively enrolled consecutive patients diagnosed with sporadic ALS who underwent C-MRI. Patients with ALS were classified as definite-phase ALS (D-ALS) and indefinite-phase ALS (ID-ALS). We focused on the hyperintensity of T2-weighted images in the CST in patients with ALS. Based on the MRI results, we divided patients into two groups: a positive CST group showing CST hyperintensity; and a negative CST group with no such findings. Clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen patients (median age, 62 years; 8 women, 9 men) were enrolled in this study, with D-ALS in eight (47%) and ID-ALS in nine (53%). Eight patients (47%) showed CST positivity. The rate of CST positivity was higher in patients with D-ALS (75%) than in patients with ID-ALS (22%, p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CST positivity appears significantly increased in D-ALS patients. C-MRI can play an important role in diagnosing ALS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: yu1028@jikei.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Renpei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sengoku
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mitsumura
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bono
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakuta
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mikihito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mochio
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Biomarker; Conventional magnetic resonance imaging; Corticospinal tract; Diagnosis