Cognitive Functions and White Matter Tract Damage in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Diffusion Tensor Tractography Study

ABSTRACT The objective of this preliminary study was to correlate diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) alterations with the cognitive profile of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods This was a case-control study conducted from December 1, 2012 to December 1, 2014. Clinical and demographic data were recorded. A neuropsychological test battery adapted to ALS patients was used. An MRI with DTI was performed in all patients and fractional anisotropy (FA) was analyzed in the white matter using the tract based spatial statistics program. Results Twenty-four patients with ALS (15 females, mean age 66.9 + -2.3) and 13 healthy controls (four females, average age 66.9 + - 2) were included. The DTI showed white matter damage in ALS patients vs. healthy controls (p < 0.001). Discussion In our preliminary study the alterations of white matter in DTI were significantly associated with cognitive impairment in patients with ALS.

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Diffusion Tensor Tractography-based Analysis of the Pyramidal Tract in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Journal of Neuroimaging ◽

10.1111/j.1552-6569.2007.00153.x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 282-287 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Yoon-Ho Hong ◽

Jung-Joon Sung ◽

Sung-Min Kim ◽

Kyung-Seok Park ◽

Kwang-Woo Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Pyramidal Tract ◽

Diffusion Tensor Tractography ◽

Lateral Sclerosis

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Interobserver Agreement of White Matter Tract Involvement in Gliomas with Diffusion Tensor Tractography

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part A Central European Neurosurgery ◽

10.1055/s-0039-1700560 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 81 (03) ◽

pp. 233-237 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ahmed Abdel Khalek Abdel Razek ◽

Lamiaa El-Serougy ◽

Amani Ezzat ◽

Hany Eldawoody ◽

Ahmad El-Morsy

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Corpus Callosum ◽

Interobserver Agreement ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Diffusion Tensor Tractography ◽

High Grade ◽

White Matter Tract ◽

Optic Radiation ◽

Tract Involvement ◽

High Grade Gliomas

Abstract Aim To assess with diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) the interobserver agreement of white matter tract involvement in patients with gliomas. Patient and Methods A prospective study was conducted on 35 patients (21 male, 14 female; age: 2–71 years) with gliomas that underwent DTT. Two independent readers assessed the patterns of involvement of the corticospinal tract, corpus callosum, optic radiation, and fasciculi as normal, edematous, displaced, infiltrated, or disrupted. Results Overall interobserver agreement of involvement of the white matter tracts was excellent (κ = 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91–0.95; p = 0.001). Interobserver agreement was excellent for involvement of corticospinal tracts (κ = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.57–1.00; p = 0.001), corpus callosum (κ = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.75–1.00; p = 0.001), optic radiation (κ = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.53–0.98; p = 0.001), and fasciculi (κ = 0.912; 95% CI, 0.81–0.99; p = 0.001. The interobserver agreement was excellent for tract edema (κ = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.57–1.00; p = 0.001), tract displacement (κ = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.75–1.00; p = 0.001), tract disruption (κ = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.57–1.00; p = 0.001), and good for tract infiltration (κ = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.53–0.98; p = 0.001). The interobserver agreement was excellent for white matter tract involvement in patients with low-grade gliomas (κ = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.57–1.00; p = 0.001) and high-grade gliomas (κ = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.75–1.00; p = 0.001). Conclusion DTT is a reliable and reproducible method for assessment of white matter tract involvement in patients with low- and high-grade gliomas.

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