The development of non-invasive functional imaging techniques has allowed neuroscientists to investigate the physiological parameters of the clinical features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a severe neurological disease. Modern neuroimaging techniques enable anatomy and function to be connectedin vivowith an acceptable balance between low patient load and high information capacity, making them ideal for clinical research in patients with physical restrictions, such as those with ALS. Structural imaging techniques in ALS include T1/T2-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging and voxel-based morphometry. Functional neuroimaging enables the acquisition of dynamic cortical function either in a passive (or resting) state or via active paradigms. The main technique used is functional magnetic resonance imaging. Structural and functional neuroimaging has provided evidence of alterations in motor and non-motor cortical pathways in ALS. In the future, neuroimaging may provide early diagnostic criteria to support the clinical diagnosis of ALS, help us to understand the aetiological background of the disease and pave the way for a new viewpoint on the functional capacities of these patients, which may have a major impact on our way of thinking about end-of-life decisions.
Measurement of structural integrity of the spinal cord in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging