TY  - JOUR
A1  - Stock, Benjamin
A1  - Shrestha, Manoj
A1  - Seiler, Alexander
A1  - Förch, Christian
A1  - Hattingen, Elke
A1  - Steinmetz, Helmuth
A1  - Deichmann, Ralf
A1  - Wagner, Marlies
A1  - Gracien, René-Maxime
T1  - Distribution of cortical diffusion tensor imaging changes in multiple sclerosis
T2  - Frontiers in physiology
N2  - Purpose: Diffuse cortical damage in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is clinically relevant but cannot be directly assessed with conventional MRI. In this study, it was aimed to use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) techniques with optimized intrinsic eddy current compensation to quantify and characterize cortical mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) changes in RRMS and to analyze the distribution of these changes across the cortex.
Materials and Methods: Three-Tesla MRI acquisition, mapping of the MD providing information about the integrity of microstructural barriers and of the FA reflecting axonal density and surface-based analysis with Freesurfer were performed for 24 RRMS patients and 25 control subjects.
Results: Across the whole cortex, MD was increased in patients (p < 0.001), while surface-based analysis revealed focal cortical FA decreases. MD and FA changes were distributed inhomogeneously across the cortex, the MD increase being more widespread than the FA decrease. Cortical MD correlated with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS, r = 0.38, p = 0.03).
Conclusion: Damage of microstructural barriers occurs inhomogeneously across the cortex in RRMS and might be spatially more widespread than axonal degeneration. The results and, in particular, the correlation with the clinical status indicate that DTI might be a promising technique for the monitoring of cortical damage under treatment in larger clinical studies.
KW  - diffusion tensor imaging
KW  - mean diffusivity
KW  - fractional anisotropy
KW  - cortex, gray matter
KW  - multiple sclerosis
Y1  - 2020
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/54472
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-544724
N1  - © 2020 Stock, Shrestha, Seiler, Foerch, Hattingen, Steinmetz, Deichmann, Wagner and Gracien. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
VL  - 11
IS  - 116
PB  - Frontiers Research Foundation
CY  - Lausanne
ER  -