Diffusion Weighted Imaging and Other Quantitative MRI Methods in the Diagnostics of Selected CNS Diseases

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the scope of exploitation of the diffusion weighted imaging and other quantitative MR methods in the clinical diagnostics. We calculated the normal values of fractional an- isotropy (FA) in our group of healthy volunteers and proved FA depen- dence on age in some regions of brain using regression analysis. The relationship was quadratic in the splenium of callosal body, the left pre- central gyrus and in the pyramidal tract at the level of mesencephalon on the right. Linear decrease of FA with age was found in the rostrum of callosal body, in the white matter of frontal lobes, in the anterior limb of internal capsule on both sides and in the pyramidal tract at the level of mesencephalon on the left. In all measured parts of basal ganglia FA in- creased. Based on our data set, we propose a non-linear colour look-up table (LUT) to enhance the pathologic values. The use of this LUT is presented in patients with several neurological disorders. Quantitative methods were used also for assessment of the group of patients suffering from ALS. The changes we expected in the posterior limb of internal capsule were not significant, therefore we suppose that the presence of T2 hyperintensity in this region is not a reliable marker of the disease. T2 relaxometry detected the..