Quantitative MR neurography in multifocal motor neuropathy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Background: The aim of this study was to assess the phenotype of multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in quantitative MR neurography. Methods: In this prospective study, 22 patients with ALS, 8 patients with MMN, and 10 healthy volunteers were examined with 3T MR...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
25 March 2023
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| In: |
Diagnostics
Year: 2023, Volume: 13, Issue: 7, Pages: 1-12 |
| ISSN: | 2075-4418 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/diagnostics13071237 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13071237 Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/7/1237 
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| Author Notes: | Olivia Foesleitner, Karl Christian Knop, Matthias Lindenau, Fabian Preisner, Philipp Bäumer, Sabine Heiland, Martin Bendszus and Moritz Kronlage |
| Summary: | Background: The aim of this study was to assess the phenotype of multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in quantitative MR neurography. Methods: In this prospective study, 22 patients with ALS, 8 patients with MMN, and 10 healthy volunteers were examined with 3T MR neurography, using a high-resolution fat-saturated T2-weighted sequence, diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI), and a multi-echo T2-relaxometry sequence. The quantitative biomarkers fractional anisotropy (FA), radial and axial diffusivity (RD, AD), mean diffusivity (MD), cross-sectional area (CSA), T2-relaxation time, and proton spin density (PSD) were measured in the tibial nerve at the thigh and calf, and in the median, radial, and ulnar nerves at the mid-upper arm. Results: MMN showed a characteristic imaging pattern of decreased FA (p = 0.018), increased RD (p = 0.014), increased CSA (p < 0.001), increased T2-relaxation time (p < 0.001), and increased PSD (p = 0.025) in the upper arm nerves compared to ALS and controls. ALS patients did not differ from controls in any imaging marker, nor were there any group differences in the tibial nerve (p > 0.05). Conclusions: MMN shows a characteristic pattern of quantitative DTI and T2-relaxometry parameters in the upper-arm nerves, primarily indicating demyelination. Peripheral nerve changes in ALS seem to be below the detection level of current state-of-the-art quantitative MR neurography. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 09.06.2023 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 2075-4418 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/diagnostics13071237 |