7‐T MRI of the spinal cord can detect lateral corticospinal tract abnormality in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Issue 5 (29th March 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cohen‐Adad, Julien; Zhao, Wei; Keil, Boris; Ratai, Eva‐Maria; Triantafyllou, Christina; Lawson, Robert; Dheel, Christina; Wald, Lawrence L.; Rosen, Bruce R.; Cudkowicz, Merit; Atassi, Nazem
• Is Part Of: Muscle & nerve. Volume 47:Issue 5(2013:May)
• Page Start: 760
• Page End: 762
• Publication Date: 2013-03-29
• Subjects: Neuromuscular diseases -- Periodicals; Muscles -- Periodicals; Nerves -- Periodicals; 616.74
• DOI: 10.1002/mus.23720
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0148-639X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p> <italic>Introduction</italic>: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting lower and upper motor neurons. Degeneration of the lateral corticospinal tract (CST) is a key finding in ALS cervical spinal cord autopsies. We hypothesized that <italic>in vivo</italic> ultra‐high‐field MRI of the cervical spinal cord can detect abnormality in the CST. <italic>Methods</italic>: A patient with ALS (disease duration 23 months) and a healthy control were scanned at 7‐T MRI using a 19‐channel coil. Multi‐echo <inline-graphic mimetype="image" xlink:href="ark:/27927/pgg1xr38267" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" /><mml:math display="inline" altimg="urn:x-wiley:0148639X:media:mus23720:mus23720-math-0001" overflow="scroll" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msubsup><mml:mi mathvariant="normal">T</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn><mml:mi>*</mml:mi></mml:msubsup></mml:math>‐weighted imaging was performed in the spinal cord, covering C2–C6. Cross‐sectional resolution was 0.37 × 0.37 mm<sup>2</sup>. <italic>Results</italic>: We detected clear signal hyperintensity in both segments of the lateral CST in the ALS patient, which was significant when compared with the normal control subject (<italic>P</italic> < 10<sup>−7</sup>). <italic>Conclusion</italic>: We believe there are potential benefits of 7‐T MRI for increased sensitivity and spatial accuracy in characterizing pathology in the spinal cord. Muscle Nerve 47: 760–762, 2013</p> </abstract>