Highlights
- •DTI and DKI techniques were compared in the assessment of WM abnormalities in NMO.
- •DTI results reinforced the hypothesis that NMO has diffuse brain involvement.
- •DKI demonstrated limitation for the evaluation of WM integrity in NMO patients.
Abstract
Background and purpose
In patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO), damage to extensive regions of normal-appearing
WM has been observed. To investigate the possibility that microstructural alterations
are present in these WM tracts, DTI and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) techniques
were applied and compared.
Material and methods
Thirteen patients with NMO and 13 demographically and gender-matched controls underwent
MRI using a 3T MR scanner, with DTI/DKI sequence acquired jointly fitted. Parametric
fractional anisotropy maps were derived from diffusion tensor (FADTI) values using b-values of 0 s/mm2 and 1000 s/mm2. Parametric fractional anisotropy maps derived from diffusion kurtosis tensor (FADKI) values were also acquired using b-values of 0, 1000, and 2000 s/mm2. Mean FADTI and FADKI values were also calculated. A ROI analysis of the genu and splenium of the corpus
callosum (CC), cerebral peduncle (CP), and optic radiation (OR) was also performed.
Student's t-test and corrections for multiple comparisons were used to evaluate the data obtained.
Results
A significant decrease in the FADTI values obtained for NMO patients versus controls was observed for the splenium of
the CC and the left OR (p < 0.05). However, just a positive trend was observed for the FADKI values associated with the same WM tracts.
Conclusions
To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze WM tracts of NMO patients using
DTI and DKI. These data indicate that DKI could have limitations in evaluating the
WM integrity in NMO patients. Furthermore, the results obtained are consistent with
the hypothesis that diffuse brain involvement characterizes NMO.
Abbreviations:
NMO (neuromyelitis optica), FA (fractional anisotropy), DKI (diffusion kurtosis imaging), FADTI (fractional anisotropy derived from diffusion tensor), FADKI (fractional anisotropy derived from diffusion kurtosis tensor), CC (corpus callosum), CP (cerebral peduncles), OR (optic radiations)Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 24, 2014
Accepted:
July 11,
2014
Received in revised form:
July 9,
2014
Received:
February 3,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
