Assessment of brain core temperature using MR DWI-thermometry in Alzheimer disease patients compared to healthy subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the brain core temperature of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients in comparison with healthy volunteers using diffusion-weighted thermometry.


METHODS
Fourteen AD patients (3 men, 11 women; age range 60-81 years, mean age 73.8 ± 6.1 years) and 14 healthy volunteers, age and sex-matched (mean age 70.1 ± 6.9 years; range 62-84 years; 5 men, 9 women) underwent MR examination between February 2014 and March 2016. MR imaging studies were performed with a 1.5-T MR scanner. Brain core temperature (T: °C) was calculated using the following equation from the diffusion coefficient (D) in the lateral ventricular (LV) cerebrospinal fluid: T = 2256.74/ln (4.39221/D) - 273.15 using a standard DWI single-shot echo-planar pulse sequence (b value 1000 s/mm2). Statistical analysis was performed using a nonparametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test to compare the patient and control groups regarding LV temperatures.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference (P = 0.1937) in LV temperature between patients (mean 37.9 ± 1.1 °C, range 35.8-39.2 °C) and control group (38.7 ± 1.4 °C, range 36.9-42.7 °C).


CONCLUSIONS
Brain core temperature in AD patients showed no significant alterations compared to healthy volunteers.
Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 127, 90126, Palermo, Italy. gianvincenzo.sparacia@unipa.it.
Gianvincenzo
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4787-1634
G
Sparacia
Advanced MR Image Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi Hirokoji Agaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
Koji
K
Sakai
Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi Hirokoji Agaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
Kei
K
Yamada
Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 127, 90126, Palermo, Italy.
Giovanna
G
Giordano
HSR "Giglio" Hospital Cefalù-Contrada Pietra Pollastra, 90015, Cefalù, Italy.
Rosalia
R
Coppola
Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 127, 90126, Palermo, Italy.
Massimo
M
Midiri
HSR "Giglio" Hospital Cefalù-Contrada Pietra Pollastra, 90015, Cefalù, Italy.
Luigi Maria
LM
Grimaldi
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001831:Body Temperature; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062125:Thermometry / Q000379:methods
Alzheimer disease; Brain; Diffusion-weighted imaging; Diffusion-weighted imaging temperature; MRI