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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Primary Lateral Sclerosis: The Role of Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Other Advanced MR‐Based Techniques as Objective Upper Motor Neuron Markers
Author(s) -
WANG SUMEI,
MELHEM ELIAS R.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1340.013
Subject(s) - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , upper motor neuron , diffusion mri , lower motor neuron , motor neuron , magnetic resonance imaging , neuroscience , medicine , neuroimaging , multiple sclerosis , disease , pathology , psychology , radiology , psychiatry
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease, is a motor neuron disease characterized by progressive degeneration of upper motor neuron (UMN) and lower motor neuron (LMN), while primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) is defined by pure UMN involvement. A reliable objective marker of UMN involvement is critical for the early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression in patients with ALS and PLS. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), magnetization transfer imaging (MTI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), which provide insight into the pathophysiological process of ALS and PLS, show great promise in this regard. Further investigation is needed to determine and to compare the utility of various neuroimaging markers.