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MR spectroscopy and atrophy in Gluten, Friedreich’s and SCA6 ataxias
Author(s) -
Hadjivassiliou M.,
Wallis L. I.,
Hoggard N.,
Grünewald R. A.,
Griffiths P. D.,
Wilkinson I. D.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2011.01620.x
Subject(s) - atrophy , ataxia , medicine , pathology , psychiatry
Hadjivassiliou M, Wallis LI, Hoggard N, Grünewald RA, Griffiths PD, Wilkinson ID. MR spectroscopy and atrophy in Gluten, Friedreich’s and SCA6 ataxias.
Acta Neurol Scand: 2012: 126: 138–143.
© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Background – Previous work using proton MR spectroscopy ( 1 H‐MRS) of the cerebellum in the ataxias suggested that 1 H‐MRS abnormalities and atrophy do not necessarily occur concurrently. Aims – To investigate the spectroscopic features of different types of ataxias. Methods – Using a clinical MR system operating at 1.5T, we performed 1 H‐MRS with a single voxel placed over the right dentate nucleus in 22 patients with gluten ataxia (GA), six patients with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), six patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6) and 21 healthy volunteers. Atrophy of the vermis and hemispheres on standard MRI was rated by a neuroradiologist. Any interaction between atrophy and 1 H‐MRS was analysed for the three groups of patients and controls. Results – Patients with GA had significant atrophy of the vermis and hemispheres as well as abnormal 1 H‐MRS. Patients with SCA6 had more severe overall atrophy of the vermis and hemispheres, but relatively preserved N‐acetyl‐aspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr). The FA group showed significant atrophy of only the superior vermis with normal 1 H‐MRS. Conclusions – This study suggests that 1 H‐MRS of the cerebellum in patients with ataxia provides information in addition to the presence of atrophy. There are significant 1 H‐MRS differences amongst different types of ataxia with interesting correlations between atrophy and NAA/Cr.