Pronostic après un infarctus cérébral : rôle de la localisation de la lésion

In this thesis works, we address the question of early outcome prediction after a cerebral infarct. In addition to clinical assessment, early MR Imaging of stroke location in eloquent regions and neuron fibers quantification improved the outcome prediction of cognitive functions and motor functions respectively. In that purpose, we used a large population of 428 patients with a supratentorial ischemic stroke between 24 and 72 hours after stroke onset. These patients were assessed with a magnetic resonance imaging and a clinical evaluation at baseline and were followed at three months and one year post-stroke. Using this stroke population, we demonstrated that an accurate stroke location, defined on a voxel basis with the Voxel-Based Lesion-Symptom Mapping method, significantly improved the prediction of global cognitive outcome assessed at three months post-stroke and was independent from classic predictors such as initial stroke severity, age and stroke volume. Furthermore, the analysis of corticospinal tract (CST) integrity using diffusion tensor imaging at the acute phase allowed to identify an early surrogate marker of wallerian degeneration : the initial fiber number ratio (iFNR) defined as the number of CST fibers from the ipsilateral side of stroke normalized by the number of CST fibers from the contralateral side. The iFNR significantly improved the prediction of motor recovery in stroke patients with an initial severe motor impairment, whereas initial clinical score alone could not.Dans ce travail de thèse, nous avons montré l'importance de l'imagerie, en sus de la clinique, et plus particulièrement de la localisation de la lésion ischémique, pour la prédiction de l'évolution d'un patient après un infarctus cérébral. Pour cela, nous avons utilisé une cohorte de 428 patients victimes d'un infarctus cérébral sus-tentoriel datant de 24 à 72 heures. Ces patients ont eu une évaluation clinique et un examen en imagerie par résonance magnétique à l'inclusion et ont été suivis à trois mois et à un an après l'ictus. À partir de cette cohorte, nous avons montré que la localisation précise de l'infarctus cérébral, définie à l'échelle du voxel avec la méthode Voxel-Based Lesion-Symptom Mapping, améliorait significativement le pronostic cognitif global évalué à trois mois après l'infarctus cérébral, et ce indépendamment des variables consensuelles comme la sévérité initiale, l'âge et le volume de la lésion. Par ailleurs, l'analyse de l'intégrité du faisceau cortico-spinal (CST) en tenseur de diffusion à la phase aigüe de l'infarctus cérébral a permis d'identifier un marqueur précoce de la dégénérescence wallérienne : le ratio du nombre de fibres initial (iFNR), défini comme le nombre de fibres du CST du côté ipsilatéral à l'infarctus cérébral normalisé par le nombre de fibres du CST du côté controlatéral. L'iFNR améliorait significativement la prédiction de la récupération motrice chez les patients ayant un déficit moteur initial sévère, alors que le score clinique initial seul ne le permettait pas

Stroke

Background and Purpose-The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) integrity and postischemic stroke recovery in 4 main domains including cognition, mood, gait, and dependency. Methods-A prospective study was conducted, including patients diagnosed for an ischemic supratentorial stroke on a 3T brain MRI performed 24 to 72 hours after symptom onset. Clinical assessment 1 year after stroke included a Montreal Cognitive Assessment, an Isaacs set test, a Zazzo cancelation task, a Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, a 10-meter walking test, and a modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Diffusion tensor imaging parameters in the NAWM were computed using FMRIB (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain) Diffusion Toolbox. The relationships between mean NAWM diffusion tensor imaging parameters and the clinical scores were assessed using linear and ordinal regression analyses, including the volumes of white matter hyperintensities, gray matter, and ischemic stroke as radiological covariates. Results-Two hundred seven subjects were included (66±13 years old; 67% men; median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, 3; interquartile range, 2-6). In the models including only radiological variables, NAWM fractional anisotropy was associated with the mRS and the cognitive scores. After adjusting for demographic confounders, NAWM fractional anisotropy remained a significant predictor of mRS (β=-0.24; P=0.04). Additional path analysis showed that NAWM fractional anisotropy had a direct effect on mRS (β=-0.241; P=0.001) and a less important indirect effect mediating white matter hyperintensity burden. Similar results were found with mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity. In further subgroup analyses, a relationship between NAWM integrity in widespread white matter tracts, mRS, and Isaacs set test was found in right hemispheric strokes. Conclusions-NAWM diffusion tensor imaging parameters measured early after an ischemic stroke are independent predictors of functional outcome and may be additional markers to include in studies evaluating poststroke recovery. © 2020 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.Translational Research and Advanced Imaging Laborator

Outcome prediction after a cerebral infarct : role of stroke location

Dans ce travail de thèse, nous avons montré l'importance de l'imagerie, en sus de la clinique, et plus particulièrement de la localisation de la lésion ischémique, pour la prédiction de l'évolution d'un patient après un infarctus cérébral. Pour cela, nous avons utilisé une cohorte de 428 patients victimes d'un infarctus cérébral sus-tentoriel datant de 24 à 72 heures. Ces patients ont eu une évaluation clinique et un examen en imagerie par résonance magnétique à l'inclusion et ont été suivis à trois mois et à un an après l'ictus. À partir de cette cohorte, nous avons montré que la localisation précise de l'infarctus cérébral, définie à l'échelle du voxel avec la méthode Voxel-Based Lesion-Symptom Mapping, améliorait significativement le pronostic cognitif global évalué à trois mois après l'infarctus cérébral, et ce indépendamment des variables consensuelles comme la sévérité initiale, l'âge et le volume de la lésion. Par ailleurs, l'analyse de l'intégrité du faisceau cortico-spinal (CST) en tenseur de diffusion à la phase aigüe de l'infarctus cérébral a permis d'identifier un marqueur précoce de la dégénérescence wallérienne : le ratio du nombre de fibres initial (iFNR), défini comme le nombre de fibres du CST du côté ipsilatéral à l'infarctus cérébral normalisé par le nombre de fibres du CST du côté controlatéral. L'iFNR améliorait significativement la prédiction de la récupération motrice chez les patients ayant un déficit moteur initial sévère, alors que le score clinique initial seul ne le permettait pas.In this thesis works, we address the question of early outcome prediction after a cerebral infarct. In addition to clinical assessment, early MR Imaging of stroke location in eloquent regions and neuron fibers quantification improved the outcome prediction of cognitive functions and motor functions respectively. In that purpose, we used a large population of 428 patients with a supratentorial ischemic stroke between 24 and 72 hours after stroke onset. These patients were assessed with a magnetic resonance imaging and a clinical evaluation at baseline and were followed at three months and one year post-stroke. Using this stroke population, we demonstrated that an accurate stroke location, defined on a voxel basis with the Voxel-Based Lesion-Symptom Mapping method, significantly improved the prediction of global cognitive outcome assessed at three months post-stroke and was independent from classic predictors such as initial stroke severity, age and stroke volume. Furthermore, the analysis of corticospinal tract (CST) integrity using diffusion tensor imaging at the acute phase allowed to identify an early surrogate marker of wallerian degeneration : the initial fiber number ratio (iFNR) defined as the number of CST fibers from the ipsilateral side of stroke normalized by the number of CST fibers from the contralateral side. The iFNR significantly improved the prediction of motor recovery in stroke patients with an initial severe motor impairment, whereas initial clinical score alone could not

Quantification of Magnetization Transfer and Inhomogeneous Magnetization Transfer with an MPRAGE sequence and an MTsat Approach

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An inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT) quantification method robust to B1 and T1 variations in magnetization prepared acquisitions

International audienceStandard MT and ihMT ratio (ihMTR) measures can be sensitive to B1 and T1, making them less specific to tissue microstructure. Using the inverse signal, i.e. one divided by the signal, and a high flip-angle reference image in calculation of an ihMTR metric has been proposed as a metric with improved insensitivity to T1 and B1 in steady-state gradient-echo sequences. We present a modified method for use in prepared sequences such as magnetization prepared rapid gradient echo (MPRAGE). The sensitivity of ihMT MPRAGE metrics to T1 and B1 was tested using simulations and acquisitions in brains of healthy volunteers

Fast‐spin‐echo versus rapid gradient‐echo for 3D magnetization‐prepared acquisitions: Application to inhomogeneous magnetization transfer

International audienceTo evaluate the benefits of Fast Spin Echo (FSE) imaging over Rapid Gradient-Echo (RAGE) for Magnetization-prepared inhomogeneous Magnetization Transfer (ihMT) imaging. Methods: A 3D FSE sequence was modified to include an ihMT preparation (ihMT-FSE) with an optional CSF suppression based on an Inversion-Recovery (ihMT-FLAIR). After numerical simulations assessing SNR benefits of FSE and the potential impact of an additional inversion-recovery, ihMT-RAGE, ihMT-FSE and ihMT-FLAIR sequences were compared in a group of 6 healthy volunteers, evaluating image quality, thermal and physiological noise as well as quantification using an ihMTsat approach. A preliminary exploration in the cervical spinal cord was also conducted in a group of 3 healthy volunteers. Results: Several fold improvement in thermal SNR was observed with ihMT-FSE in agreement with numerical simulations. However, we observed significantly higher physiological noise in ihMT-FSE compared to ihMT-RAGE that was mitigated in ihMT-FLAIR, which provided the best total SNR (+74% and 49% compared to ihMT-RAGE in the white and gray matter, p0.004). IhMTsat quantification was successful in all cases with strong correlation between all sequences (r 2 >0.75). Early experiments showed potential for spinal cord imaging. Conclusions: FSE generally offers higher SNR compared to gradient-echo based acquisitions for magnetization-prepared contrasts as illustrated here in the case of ihMT. However, physiological noise has a significant effect, but an IR-based CSF suppression was shown to be efficient in mitigating effects of CSF motion

Effects of tDCS dose and electrode montage on regional cerebral blood flow and motor behavior

We used three dose levels (Sham, 2 mA, and 4 mA) and two different electrode montages (unihemispheric and bihemispheric) to examine DOSE and MONTAGE effects on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) as a surrogate marker of neural activity, and on a finger sequence task, as a surrogate behavioral measure drawing on brain regions targeted by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). We placed the anodal electrode over the right motor region (C4) while the cathodal or return electrode was placed either over a left supraorbital region (unihemispheric montage) or over the left motor region (C3 in the bihemispheric montage). Performance changes in the finger sequence task for both hands (left hand: p = 0.0026, and right hand: p = 0.0002) showed a linear tDCS dose response but no montage effect. rCBF in the right hemispheric perirolandic area increased with dose under the anodal electrode (p = 0.027). In contrast, in the perirolandic ROI in the left hemisphere, rCBF showed a trend to increase with dose (p = 0.053) and a significant effect of montage (p = 0.00004). The bihemispheric montage showed additional rCBF increases in frontomesial regions in the 4mA condition but not in the 2 mA condition. Furthermore, we found strong correlations between simulated current density in the left and right perirolandic region and improvements in the finger sequence task performance (FSP) for the contralateral hand. Our data support not only a strong direct tDCS dose effect for rCBF and FSP as surrogate measures of targeted brain regions but also indirect effects on rCBF in functionally connected regions (e.g., frontomesial regions), particularly in the higher dose condition and on FSP of the ipsilateral hand (to the anodal electrode). At a higher dose and irrespective of polarity, a wider network of sensorimotor regions is positively affected by tDCS

Variable-density Fast-Spin-Echo (FSE) for volumetric inhomogeneous Magnetization Transfer (ihMT) imaging

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Improved volumetric inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT) using a CSF-suppressed FSE sequence (FLAIR-ihMT)

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Changes of cortical gray matter myelin and microstructure in multiple sclerosis (MS) assessed with quantitative ihMT and MT

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