Proton MR spectroscopy of the cerebellum and pons in patients with degenerative ataxia |
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Authors: | Mascalchi Mario Cosottini Mirco Lolli Francesco Salvi Fabrizio Tessa Carlo Macucci Marco Tosetti Michela Plasmati Rosaria Ferlini Alessandra Tassinari Carlo Alberto Villari Natale |
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Institution: | Section of Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 85, 50134 Florence, Italy. |
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Abstract: | PURPOSE: To investigate whether proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy is a useful complement to MR imaging in patients with degenerative ataxia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Brain MR imaging and single-voxel proton MR spectroscopy of the right cerebellar hemisphere and pons were performed in 30 patients with sporadic (n = 16) or inherited (n = 14) degenerative ataxia and in 20 healthy control subjects. Several indexes of brainstem and cerebellar atrophy were measured on MR images, as well as the N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr), choline/Cr (Cho/Cr), and myo-inositol/Cr (mI/Cr) ratios in the MR spectra. Differences between patients and subjects were evaluated with the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests, whereas correlation of clinical, MR imaging, and spectroscopic data was assessed with nonparametric Spearman rank correlation. RESULTS: Measurements of brainstem and cerebellar atrophy obtained from MR images revealed patients had olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) (n = 11), spinal atrophy (SA) (n = 8), or corticocerebellar atrophy (CCA) (n = 4). Seven patients did not fulfill the criteria for any group and were considered undefined. In patients with OPCA, the pontine and cerebellar NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios were significantly decreased when compared with those of the control subjects. Pontine and cerebellar NAA/Cr ratios were also significantly reduced in patients with SA and CCA. Five patients with undefined ataxia had a substantial decrease of pontine or cerebellar NAA/Cr ratio when compared with that of the control subjects. In patients with OPCA, the pontine NAA/Cr ratio (but not the atrophy measurements) showed a correlation (P =.04) with disability. CONCLUSION: MR spectroscopy is a useful complement to MR imaging in patients with degenerative ataxia. |
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