Hippocampal alterations in children with temporal lobe epilepsy with or without a history of febrile convulsions: evaluations with MR volumetry and proton MR spectroscopy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The causal effect of early febrile convulsions (FC) on later-onset temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) remains unclear. In this study, we sought to examine the hippocampal alterations in epileptic children with or without FC history by using MR spectroscopy and volumetry. METHODS: Fifty-five children ranging in age from 18 months to 15 years were enrolled in this study. Subjects were divided into three groups: the control group without either TLE or history of FC (n = 16), the TLE group with early history of FC (TLE + FC; n = 22), and the TLE group without FC history (n = 17). Measurement of hippocampal volume (HV) was performed on thin section T1-weighted images acquired with a 3D gradient echo MR image and normalized by the intracranial volume. Each individual subject had two measures of lateralization; one gives the smaller side of HV and the other the contralateral larger side of HV, assuming that the side with smaller HV is the possible primary site of seizure focus and the contralateral larger HV the secondary or normal site. Single-voxel proton MR spectroscopy of the hippocampi was performed, with metabolic ratio n-acetylaspartate (NAA)/choline (Cho) + creatine plus phosphocreatine (Cr) calculated and grouped separately as were with volumetry. RESULTS: The overall mean HV for the control group was 2.61 +/- 0.21 cm(3) at an average intracranial volume of 965 +/- 241 cm(3), and the asymmetry index for hippocampal volume was (2.32 +/- 1.58)%. The overall mean HV was 2.30 +/- 0.33 cm(3) for TLE + FC group and 2.34 +/- 0.33 cm(3) for TLE group. Mean HV differed significantly for the three groups (P < .01). When the small and large sides were analyzed separately, significant differences were found between control and TLE as well as between control and TLE + FC for the smaller side (P < .05), whereas for the larger side significant differences were found only between control and TLE + FC. In MR spectroscopic measurements, the mean NAA/(Cr + Cho) of bilateral hippocampi was 0.77 +/- 0.06 for control group, 0.62 +/- 0.12 for TLE + FC group, and 0.66 +/- 0.11 for TLE group. In terms of statistically significant difference between groups, spectroscopic results were similar to volumetric measurements, except that there was no significant interaction effect between groups and measures of asymmetrical indices (P = .272). CONCLUSION: Children with TLE and early history of FC tend to have lower hippocampal volumes and NAA/(Cr + Cho) ratios than do TLE children without FC history. The TLE + FC group seems to have increased vulnerability of the contralateral hippocampus as compared with TLE group. MR volumetry and spectroscopy are equally capable of showing the trends of hippocampal alternations in children with TLE with or without FC history.     

MRI测量颞叶癫痫患者海马体积与波谱分析

目的探讨利用磁共振图像判断海马萎缩在颞叶癫痫的意义,揭示颞叶癫痫病灶的质子磁共振波谱的变化特征。材料与方法对7例不同病程癫痫患者进行三维快速扰相位梯度回波序列(3D-FSPGR)和PRESS序列波谱采样,测量双侧海马的体积和海马区域的NAA／Cr、Cho／Cr比值,在同一患者左右侧进行对比。结果早期颞叶癫痫患者海马萎缩、NAA／Cr下降均不明显,Cho／Cr较对侧升高;发展到海马硬化阶段可以有海马萎缩、NAA／Cr下降和Cho／Cr升高;静息状态的癫痫患者有海马萎缩和NAA／Cr下降,但是Cho／Cr无升高表现。结论利用磁共振图像可以准确反映颞叶癫痫患者海马体积的变化;1H-MRS可以反映癫痫患者海马区域的代谢变化,为癫痫的定位提供信息。     

Evidence of neuronal injury outside the medial temporal lobe in temporal lobe epilepsy: N-acetylaspartate concentration reductions detected with multisection proton MR spectroscopic imaging--initial experience

PURPOSE: To determine whether magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic imaging reveals metabolic changes, especially decreased N-acetylaspartate (NAA) concentrations outside the medial temporal lobe in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), consistent with neuropathologic findings of extratemporal neuronal impairment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with mesial TLE and 13 control subjects were examined with multisection MR spectroscopic imaging. Three MR spectroscopic imaging sections were acquired. Thirteen brain regions in each hemisphere and the midbrain were analyzed in each patient, and the NAA to creatine-phosphocreatine (Cr) plus choline-containing compounds (Ch) (NAA/[Cr + Ch]) ratios were determined. In addition, hemispheric and whole-brain values were calculated and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The NAA/(Cr + Ch) ratio in the ipsilateral hippocampus was significantly reduced, compared with that in the contralateral hippocampus (P <.002) and compared with that in control subjects (P <.03), confirming findings in previous studies. In patients, whole-brain NAA/(Cr + Ch) ratio outside the hippocampus was significantly lower than that in control subjects (P <.002). For the ipsilateral hemisphere in patients, NAA/(Cr + Ch) ratio was significantly lower than that in control subjects (P <.0002). Comparisons between individual brain regions revealed trends toward lower NAA/(Cr + Ch) ratios in many areas of the ipsilateral and, to a lesser extent, the contralateral hemisphere outside the hippocampus and temporal lobe, suggesting diffuse impairment. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that repeated seizure activity damages neurons outside of the seizure focus.     

MR volumetric analysis of the piriform cortex and cortical amygdala in drug-refractory temporal lobe epilepsy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The assessment of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) traditionally focuses on the hippocampal formation. These patients, however, may present structural abnormalities in other brain areas. Our purpose was to develop a method to measure the combined volume of the human piriform cortex and cortical amygdala (PCA) by using MR imaging and to investigate PCA atrophy. METHODS: The definition of anatomic landmarks on MR images was based on histologic analysis of 23 autopsy control subjects. Thirty-nine adults with chronic TLE and 23 age-matched control subjects were studied. All underwent high-spatial-resolution MR imaging at 1.5T, including a tilted T1-weighted 3D dataset. The PCA volumes were compared with the control values and further correlated with hippocampal, amygdala, and entorhinal cortex volumes. RESULTS: The normal volume was 530 +/- 59 mm(3) (422-644) [mean +/- 1 SD (range)] on the right and 512 +/- 60 mm(3) (406-610) on the left PCA (no asymmetry, and no age or sex effect). The intraobserver and interobserver variability were 6% and 8%, respectively. In right TLE patients, the mean right PCA volume was 18% smaller than in control subjects (P < .001) and 15% smaller than in left TLE (P < .001). In left TLE, the mean left PCA volume was 16% smaller than in control subjects (P < .001) and 19% smaller than in right TLE (P < .001). Overall, 46% (18/39) of the patients had a greater than 20% volume reduction in the ipsilateral PCA. There was bilateral atrophy in 18% (7/39). Patients with hippocampal volumes of at least 2 SDs below the control mean had an 18% reduction in the mean PCA volume compared with patients without hippocampal atrophy (P < .001). Ipsilaterally, hippocampal (r = 0.756, P < .01), amygdaloid (r = 0.548, P < .01), and entorhinal (r = 0.500, P < .01) volumes correlated with the PCA volumes. CONCLUSION: The quantification of PCA volume with MR imaging showed that the PCA is extensively damaged in chronic TLE patients, particularly in those with hippocampal atrophy.     

Temporal lobe epilepsy: qualitative reading of 1H MR spectroscopic images for presurgical evaluation

PURPOSE: To study the feasibility and clinical potential of visual inspection of hydrogen 1 magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic metabolite images for the lateralization of unilateral nonlesional temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging and 1H MR spectroscopic imaging were performed of the temporal lobes in 50 patients with TLE and 23 age-matched healthy volunteers. N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and creatine plus choline metabolite images were read by two neuroradiologists who determined lateralization according to the side of lower NAA signal intensity. Quantitative estimates of NAA were calculated by using an automated fitting program. RESULTS: Agreement in lateralization between readers was significant with a kappa score of 0.53 for all patients with TLE and 0.63 for patients displaying mild or marked NAA asymmetry. Among the 50 patients with TLE, lateralization was determined correctly by reader 1 in 38 (76%) patients and by reader 2 in 31 (62%) patients. If limited to patients with mild or marked NAA asymmetry, correct lateralization improved to 30 (77%) of 39 and 16 (80%) of 20 patients, respectively. Combined qualitative reading and quantitative spectral fitting enabled lateralization in 34 (85%) of 40 patients with TLE for reader 1 and 30 (77%) of 39 for reader 2, including nine of 14 patients with TLE with negative MR images. CONCLUSION: Reading of metabolite images is a feasible and fast means for noninvasive evaluation of patients with TLE who are candidates for surgery and enables lateralization in some patients with negative MR images.     

氢质子磁共振波谱在小儿颞叶癫痫研究中的应用

目的 结合MRI和脑电图（EEG）所见，评价氢质子磁共振波谱（^1H MRS)在小儿颞叶癫痫诊断中的价值。方法 对10例颞叶癫痫患儿和8例健康自愿儿用2．0T场强MR扫描系统进行MRI及^1H MRS采集。测定N－乙酰天门冬氨酸（NAA）、胆碱（Cho)、肌酸（Cr)、乳酸（Lac)、肌醇（MI）、谷氨酸及谷氨酰胺（Glu/Gln)等代谢产物。结果 以NAA／（Cr Cho)值为标准，海马硬化侧组及脑电图异常侧组与对照组间比较，差异有显著性意义（平均差异分别为0．7663、0．6190，P＜0．05）。结论 ^1H MRS在小儿颞叶癫痫灶诊断的敏感性高于MRI，且有助于脑电图定位诊断。     

Temporal lobe epilepsy: Correlation of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has demonstrated reduction of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in the epileptogenic temporal lobe. However, the correlation of NAA reduction with cerebral metabolic abnormalities is unknown in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Proton MRS and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG/PET) were used to study 12 unilateral TLE patients with medically intractable seizures and 26 age-matched healthy volunteers. The epileptogenic temporal lobe of each patient was determined by both electroencephalography and FDG/PET. The NAA/choline-plus-creatine (NAA/(Cho+Cr)) ratio correlated significantly with the interictal glucose metabolism (r = 0.54, P 0.01) in 12 TLE patients. The mean NAA/(Cho + Cr) ratio in the epileptogenic temporal lobe was significantly less than that in the contralateral side (P < 0.01), and less than that in normal control temporal lobes (P < 0.0001). These results suggest that quantitative MRS abnormalities reflect underlying metabolic pathology in TLE.     

Multisection proton MR spectroscopy for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Extensive metabolic impairments have been reported in association with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE). We investigated whether proton MR spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) depicts metabolic changes beyond the hippocampus in cases of mTLE and whether these changes help lateralize the seizure focus. METHODS: MR imaging and (1)H-MRS were performed in 15 patients with mTLE with a postoperative diagnosis of mesial temporal sclerosis and in 12 control volunteers. Point-resolved spectroscopy and multisection (1)H-MRS measured N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), and choline (Cho) in the hippocampus, temporal opercular and lateral cortices, insula and cerebellum, and frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes. Metabolites were assessed as ratios to Cr and in absolute units. RESULTS: Twelve patients had ipsilateral hippocampal atrophy; three had negative imaging results. In the ipsilateral hippocampus, absolute NAA (/NAA/) was 27.3% lower in patients compared with that in control volunteers (P <.001) and 18.5% lower compared with that in the contralateral side (P <.01). /NAA/ averaged over selected regions in the ipsilateral temporal lobes of patients with mTLE was 19.3% lower compared with the mean in the control group (P <.0001) and by 17.7% lower compared with the contralateral values (P <.00001). Using only hippocampal data, 60% of the cases of mTLE were correctly lateralized. Lateralization, determined using whole temporal lobe data, had 87% sensitivity and 92% specificity. /NAA/ was bilaterally reduced in the frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes of patients with mTLE compared with that in control volunteers (P <.01). CONCLUSION: Multisection (1)H-MRS depicts interictal reductions of NAA in the ipsilateral temporal lobe beyond the hippocampus and accurately lateralizes seizure foci.     

MR单体素波谱和化学位移成像在颞叶癫痫中的研究

目的　应用MR氢质子波谱 (1HMRS)不同成像方法 ,包括单体素波谱 (SVS)、化学位移成像 (CSI) ,探讨1HMRS对颞叶癫痫 (TLE)的诊断价值。方法　设对照组 4 0例、颞叶癫痫组 (TLE) 2 0例。应用1HMRS分别进行海马结构 (HF)的SVS和CSI,应用SVS比较TLE患侧组、对侧组及对照组各代谢物比值 ,并行致痫灶定侧诊断。应用CSI分析TLE患侧组、对侧组及对照组HF从前到后各体素氮 乙酰天门冬氨酸 / (胆碱 肌酸复合物 ) [NAA/ (Cho Cr) ]的变化规律 ,并进行三组间、各体素间两两比较。结果　SVS示TLE组患侧组HF的NAA/ (Cho Cr) (0 4 8± 0 10 )、NAA/Cr(1 2 0± 0 19)下降 ,与对照组、对侧组 (分别为 0 71± 0 0 7、1 4 8± 0 16 ;0 6 1± 0 12、1 4 4± 0 2 3)差异有显著性意义 (F值分别为 4 1 95 8、15 5 75 ,P值 <0 0 0 0 1)。SVS对TLE定侧敏感度为 85 % ,特异度为 93%。CSI示对照组、TLE患侧、对侧组HF的NAA/ (Cho Cr)与HF部位间呈直线相关关系 ,后部较前部大 ;与正常组比较 ,患侧组前部NAA/ (Cho Cr)的降低程度较后部大。结论　SVS可帮助TLE致痫灶定侧。CSI显示HF从前到后存在NAA/ (Cho Cr)渐变现象 ,TLE患侧头部代谢改变较尾部大。在比较代谢改变时 ,保证定位于HF的相同部位很重要。     

Degree of hippocampal atrophy is related to side of seizure onset in temporal lobe epilepsy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is associated with pathologic changes in hippocampal physiology and morphology. Our aim was to quantify volume reduction of the right and left hippocampus in patients with TLE and to investigate whether the degree of hippocampal atrophy is related to the side of seizure onset. METHODS: The volume of the right and left hippocampus was estimated for 50 controls and 101 patients with TLE, by applying the unbiased Cavalieri method on MR images. RESULTS: Pairwise comparisons, within a multivariate analysis of variance and adjusted by using the Bonferroni correction, revealed that both right and left hippocampal volumes were, on average, significantly smaller in patients with right-sided seizure onset (R-patients) relative to those of controls (P < .001 and P = .04, respectively). Furthermore, left hippocampal volume was significantly smaller in patients with left-sided seizure onset (L-patients) compared with controls (P < .001), but the right-sided hippocampal volume was not significantly smaller (P = .71). Moreover, a correlation analysis revealed that the strong linear association between the right and left hippocampal volumes existing in the control population (r = 0.73) is partially lost in patients with TLE (r < or = 0.48), and this loss in correlation appears to be more pronounced in L-patients than in R-patients. CONCLUSION: Our MR imaging results suggest that although the major damage in patients with TLE is located in the hippocampus ipsilateral to the side of seizure onset, R-patients are more likely to have bilateral hippocampal volume reduction. These findings support the hypothesis that cerebral hemispheres may not only differ in their functionality organization but also in their vulnerability to a neurologic insult.     

MR volumetry of the entorhinal, perirhinal, and temporopolar cortices in drug-refractory temporal lobe epilepsy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The occurrence of damage in the entorhinal, perirhinal, and temporopolar cortices in unilateral drug-refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was investigated with quantitative MR imaging. METHODS: Volumes of the entorhinal, perirhinal, and temporopolar cortices were measured in 27 patients with unilateral drug-refractory TLE, 10 patients with extratemporal partial epilepsy, and 20 healthy control subjects. All patients with TLE were evaluated for epilepsy surgery and underwent operations. RESULTS: In left TLE, the mean volume of the ipsilateral entorhinal cortex was reduced by 17% (P <.001 compared with control subjects) and that of the ipsilateral temporopolar cortex by 17% (P <.05). In right TLE, the mean ipsilateral entorhinal volume was reduced by 13% (P < or =.01), but only in patients with hippocampal atrophy. Asymmetry ratios also indicated ipsilateral cortical atrophy. When each patient was analyzed individually, the volume of the ipsilateral hippocampus was reduced (> or = 2 SD from the mean of controls) in 63% and that of the entorhinal cortex in 52% of patients with TLE. Furthermore, ipsilateral entorhinal (left: r = 0.625, P <.001; right: r = 0.524, P < or =.01), perirhinal (left: r = 0.471, P <.05), and temporopolar (right: r = 0.556, P <.01) volumes correlated with ipsilateral hippocampal volumes. There was no association, however, with clinically or pathologically identified causes of epilepsy, duration of epilepsy, or age at onset of epilepsy. Mean cortical volumes were unaffected in extratemporal partial epilepsy. CONCLUSION: Subpopulations of patients with unilateral TLE have ipsilateral damage in the entorhinal and temporopolar cortices. The damage is associated with hippocampal damage.     

磁共振质子波谱在颞叶癫痫诊断中的应用

目的　评价磁共振质子波谱 (1HMRS)诊断颞叶癫痫的价值。方法　对 30例颞叶癫痫患者和 30例健康志愿者用 2 0T场强的MR成像系统分别进行双侧颞叶的质子波谱采集 ,定量分析N 乙酰天门冬氨酸 (NAA)、肌酸 (Cr)和胆碱复合物 (Cho)等代谢产物的变化。结果　癫痫病人NAA峰降低。以NAA/ (Cr Cho)值为判断标准 ,2 5例病人可以定侧诊断 ,敏感性 83% ,并发现 14例双侧病变 ,占 47%。结论　1HMRS可无创性探测脑组织内生化改变 ,对癫痫灶的定侧诊断具有很高的价值     

难治性颞叶癫痫的分子影像学研究与病理对照

目的:对照难治性颞叶癫痫(TLE)手术病理资料,探讨联合单光子发射计算机断层(SPECT)和质子磁共振波谱(1 H-MRS)两种分子影像学技术对TLE定位的临床价值。方法:选择29例经手术病理证实的单侧TLE。所有患者术前均行SPECT发作间期脑血流(CBF)灌注显像、常规磁共振(MRI)扫描和1 H-MRS成像。将两种分子影像学技术,发作间期CBF灌注显像和1 H-MRS,对TLE的定位表现与病理结果进行对比分析。结果:病理改变最常见的是海马硬化和皮质发育不良,共27例(93.10%),此两种改变伴随出现于16例中(55.17%)。对于双重病理TLE,MRI、SPECT定位阳性率均为100%(16/16),MRS为87.50%(14/16)。对于单纯性海马硬化,MRI为阴性,SPECT仅为14.29%(1/7),而MRS高达57.14%(4/7)。对于单纯性皮质发育不全,MRS为阴性,MRI为50.00%(2/4),而SPECT高达75.00%(3/4)。联合应用SPECT和MRS对TLE定位率高达86.20%(25/29),尤其是对MRI阴性的患者,两种技术联合能发现54.55%(6/11)TLE的致痫灶。结论:联合SPECT发作间期脑血流灌注显像和1 H-MRS两种分子影像学技术能为难治性TLE提供更为全面和准确的定位诊断信息,可进一步提高定位MRI阴性TLE患者致痫灶的比例。     

Reproducibility of hippocampal single-Voxel proton MR spectroscopy and chemical shift imaging

OBJECTIVE: We investigated between- and within-acquisition reproducibility of hippocampal metabolite ratios obtained using automated proton MR spectroscopy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We examined 30 healthy adults with a 1.5-T scanner four times on 3 days using single-voxel spectroscopy over the left hippocampus, chemical shift imaging over the left hippocampus, and chemical shift imaging over the bilateral hippocampi. Metabolite ratios were derived from the integral values of three major peaks: N:-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline-containing compounds (Cho), and creatine plus phosphocreatine (Cr). The random-effects model of one-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the reproducibility in terms of coefficient of variation; the mixed-effects model was used to compare the results of different hippocampal regions and spectroscopic techniques. RESULTS: Most coefficients of variation for the NAA/(Cho+Cr) ratio were less than 20%. All the coefficients of variation for the posterior hippocampus (15-25%) were less than those for the anterior hippocampus (20-44%). The posterior hippocampal NAA/(Cho+Cr) ratio of unilateral chemical shift imaging had the lowest coefficient of variation (<16%). Single-voxel spectroscopy and unilateral chemical shift imaging had similar coefficients of variation for the anterior hippocampal NAA/(Cho+Cr) ratios (17-20%). There was a significant difference in metabolite ratios measured in different hippocampal regions (p<0.01) and in those acquired with different spectroscopic techniques (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The NAA/(Cho+Cr) ratio is the most reproducible parameter for hippocampal MR spectroscopy on a 1.5-T scanner. Regional variation and technical differences in metabolite ratios must be considered when interpreting proton spectra of the hippocampus.     

单侧颞叶癫痫病人双侧基底节区多体素MRS研究

目的 采用多体素MRS探讨单侧颞叶癫痫（TLE）病人双侧基底节区代谢物改变。方法 选取根据临床发作症状和脑电图综合诊断的左侧TLE病人10例,右侧TLE病人10例,正常志愿者10例纳入研究。所有TLE病人均进行利物浦痫性发作严重程度量表2.0（LSSS 2.0）评估,采用Simens 3.0 T超导MR设备进行多体素1H-MRS数据采集,对称性测量双侧尾状核头、豆状核和丘脑的N-乙酰天门冬氨酸（NAA）、乙酰胆碱（Cho）、肌酸（Cr）含量,计算各兴趣区NAA/Cr和Cho/Cr比值并进行统计学分析,将代谢物比值与LSSS 2.0评分进行Pearson相关分析。结果 左侧TLE组双侧丘脑NAA/Cr比值分别为1.92±0.15（左）和2.02±0.26（右）,右侧TLE组双侧丘脑NAA/Cr比值分别为2.19±0.16（左）和1.79±0.16（右）,均明显低于对照组[2.37±0.14（左）和2.36±0.10（右）,P＜0.05]。右侧TLE组,其致痫灶同侧丘脑的NAA/Cr比值较对侧丘脑要低（P＜0.05）。TLE组致痫灶同侧丘脑NAA/Cr比值与LSSS 2.0评分呈负相关（左侧 r=-0.667;右侧r=-0.643,均P＜0.05）。结论 单侧TLE病人存在双侧丘脑神经元丢失和/或功能障碍,且致痫灶同侧丘脑NAA/Cr比值与LSSS 2.0评分可以一致性反映近期痫性发作严重程度。     

MR spectroscopic evidence for thalamic and hippocampal, but not cortical, damage in multiple sclerosis.

Gray matter (GM) damage is an important pathophysiological feature in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and may be related to clinical, including cognitive, deficits. Quantitative single-voxel (1)H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (TR/TE 6000/20 ms) was performed in 33 MS patients (11 per disease subtype; mean age 48 years, 16 females) and 10 healthy controls (mean age 43 years, 7 females). No overall spectroscopic changes were found in MS cortex. In MS thalamus, a 9% decrease of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA; P=0.005) and a 31% increase of myo-inositol (Ins; P=0.002) were found. A 21% Ins increase was observed (P=0.02) in MS hippocampus. Reduced NAA and increased Ins concentrations are thought to reflect neuro-axonal damage or loss and gliosis, respectively. Significant correlations between Ins concentrations and total-brain T(2) lesion load were found for MS thalamus (r=0.65, P<0.001) and hippocampus (r=0.57, P=0.001). MS thalamic and hippocampal Ins concentrations also correlated with each other (r=0.68; P<0.001). Cortical Gln correlated with thalamic NAA (r=-0.38; P=0.03) in MS. Thalamic and hippocampal Ins increases were most prominent in secondary-progressive (SP) patients (37% and 34%, respectively), whereas the largest thalamic NAA decrease (14%) was found in primary-progressive (PP) patients. In conclusion, thalamic and hippocampal GM pathology are important features of (progressive) MS.     

The significance of bilateral CSI changes for the postoperative outcome in temporal lobe epilepsy

PURPOSE: In a prospective study, we evaluated the significance of preoperative bilateral chemical shift spectroscopy imaging (CSI) changes for the prognosis of postoperative seizure outcome in the surgical treatment of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). METHOD: CSI using multivoxel spectroscopy was performed. Twenty-six consecutive TLE patients scheduled for epilepsy surgery were included. To evaluate the value of the CSI with respect to postoperative seizure outcome, discriminant analysis with ipsilateral and contralateral CSI was performed. RESULTS: The discriminant analysis showed that the contralateral metabolic changes alone are able to predict seizure outcome whereby 92.3% of cases were correctly classified. Upon comparison of the two groups of seizure-free and non-seizure-free patients with respect to contralateral metabolic changes, the difference proved to be highly significant (paired t test: t = -6.3, df = 24, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Bilateral metabolic CSI changes have a predictive value for the postoperative outcome in patients with TLE. In patients with severe bilateral metabolic changes, poor seizure outcome is a likely result.     

Proton MR spectroscopic and diffusion tensor brain MR imaging in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy: initial experience

PURPOSE: To compare conventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, proton MR spectroscopic imaging, and diffusion tensor (DT) MR imaging findings in patients with X chromosome-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multisection proton MR spectroscopy and DT imaging were performed in 11 patients with X-ALD and in 11 healthy control subjects. Quantitative measures of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline, and creatine values and of isotropic apparent diffusion coefficient (IADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were obtained from coregistered regions of interest. DT imaging and metabolic parameters were compared by using regression analysis. In addition, differences in DT imaging and metabolite measurements between normal- and abnormal-appearing white matter on conventional MR images were evaluated by using a nonparametric (Mann-Whitney) test. RESULTS: A strong logarithmic relationship between NAA value and FA (r = 0.64, P <.001) and an inverse logarithmic relationship were found between NAA value and IADC (r = -0.69, P <.001). Creatine and choline values correlated poorly with IADC and FA. In the normal-appearing white matter of asymptomatic patients, the NAA value was 17% lower than that in the healthy control subjects (P =.016), whereas no significant difference in DT imaging measures was seen in these regions. CONCLUSION: In patients with X-ALD, MR spectroscopic imaging can depict abnormalities in white matter that have a normal appearance on both conventional MR and DT images; this finding suggests that it may be the most sensitive technique for detecting early abnormalities of demyelination or axonal loss in patients with X-ALD.     

癫痫病人MRI海马结构体积测定

目的测量正常成人及癫痫病人海马结构（ＨＦ）体积，探讨其在颞叶癫痫（ＴＬＥ）致痫灶定侧中的价值。材料与方法本组包括５２例正常成人及８９例癫痫病人，把病人分为三组：继发性癫痫４８例、特发颞叶外癫痫１５例、ＴＬＥ２６例，后者有２２例为顽固性癫痫。均作垂直于海马长轴的冠状位自旋回波（ＳＥ）序列Ｔ１加权像、ＴｕｒｂｏＳＥＴ２加权像，测量颞叶、ＨＦ体积和颞角、环池宽度，肉眼观察Ｔ２加权像海马信号强度改变。采用ＨＦ体积绝对值对ＴＬＥ定侧。结果获取了正常成人ＨＦ体积。２２例ＴＬＥＨＦ体积缩小，其中３例为双侧性；６例ＨＦ硬化经手术、病理证实，１例体积正常且致痫灶位于ＨＦ周围者ＨＦ硬化轻，８例其他类型癫痫病人ＨＦ体积略小，ＴＬＥ致痫灶定侧的敏感性为８５％，特异性为８７％。３例ＴＬＥ病人同侧前颞叶萎缩；部分ＴＬＥ病侧颞角、环池宽度增加；萎缩明显的ＨＦＴ２加权像信号弥漫性增高。结论ＨＦ体积缩小、Ｔ２加权像信号弥漫性增高是ＨＦ硬化萎缩的直接征象，与病变严重程度、致痫灶在颞叶的部位有关，前颞叶萎缩和颞角、环池增宽是ＨＦ硬化的辅助征象。ＨＦ萎缩不仅是颞叶癫痫的主要原因，也可能是其他类型癫痫发作的结果     

磁共振多种成像方法在颞叶癫痫的综合诊断

目的 应用MR不同成像方法探讨MRI对颞叶癫痫的诊断价值。资料与方法 设对照组40例，颞叶癫痫组(TLE)20例，颞叶外癫痫组(ELE)21例。应用MRI测量并比较对照组及TLE、ELE组间海马结构(HF)体积差异，行TLE组致痫侧评判。应用扩散加权成像(DWI)测量并比较对照组与TLE患侧、对侧、ELE组间表观弥散系数(ADC)值差异。应用1H MRS对各组分别进行单体素波谱(SVS)和化学位移成像(CSI)，SVS时比较TLE患侧、对侧及对照组各代谢物比值差异，对TLE组行致痫灶定侧诊断。CSI时分析HF从前到后NAA／(Cho Cr)的变化规律。结果TLE组患侧HF体积、NAA／(Cho Cr)值下降，ADC值升高，与对照组差异有显著性。定量MRI、SVS对TLE组定侧敏感性分别为70％、85％，特异性分别为87．5％、95％。CSI示HF的NAA／(Cho Cr)与HF部位间呈直线相关关系，TLE时前部改变较后部大。结论 定量MRI、SVS可帮助TLE致痫灶定侧，SVS更敏感、特异，两者结合后价值更大。CSI显示HF从前到后代谢物浓度渐变现象，TLE组头部改变较尾部大。DWI可作为MRI诊断颞叶癫痫的补充。