title: Radiological Evaluation of Strategic Structures in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer's Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of two measurement techniques in patients with cognitive impairment - automated volumetry of the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, cortex of the temporal lobes and corpus callosum, and fractional anisotropy (FA) index measurement of the corpus callosum using diffusion tensor imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total number of 96 patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging study of the brain - 33 healthy controls (HC), 33 patients with diagnosed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 30 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in early stage. The severity of the dementia was evaluated with neuropsychological test battery. The volumetric measurements were performed automatically using FreeSurfer imaging software. The measurements of FA index were performed manually using ROI (region of interest) tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The volumetric measurement of the temporal lobe cortex had the highest correct classification rate (68.7%), whereas the lowest was achieved with FA index measurement of the corpus callosum (51%). The highest sensitivity and specificity in discriminating between the patients with MCI vs. early AD was achieved with the volumetric measurement of the corpus callosum - the values were 73% and 71%, respectively, and the correct classification rate was 72%. The highest sensitivity and specificity in discriminating between HC and the patients with early AD was achieved with the volumetric measurement of the entorhinal cortex - the values were 94% and 100%, respectively, and the correct classification rate was 97%. The highest sensitivity and specificity in discriminating between HC and the patients with MCI was achieved with the volumetric measurement of the temporal lobe cortex - the values were 90% and 93%, respectively, and the correct classification rate was 92%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnostic value varied depending on the measurement technique. The volumetric measurement of the atrophy proved to be the best imaging biomarker, which allowed the distinction between the groups of patients. The volumetric assessment of the corpus callosum proved to be a useful tool in discriminating between the patients with MCI vs. early AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nesteruk
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Neurology, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nesteruk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Styczyńska
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barcikowska-Kotowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walecki
keywords: Alzheimer Disease; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mild Cognitive Impairment