A large-scale multicentre cerebral diffusion tensor imaging study in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Issue 6 (8th January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Müller, Hans-Peter; Turner, Martin R; Grosskreutz, Julian; Abrahams, Sharon; Bede, Peter; Govind, Varan; Prudlo, Johannes; Ludolph, Albert C; Filippi, Massimo; Kassubek, Jan
• Other Names: author non-byline.; Abdulla Susanne author non-byline.; Agosta Federica author non-byline.; Ajroud-Driss Senda author non-byline.; Atassi Nazem author non-byline.; Bastin Mark author non-byline.; Benatar Michael author non-byline.; Brooks William author non-byline.; Calvo Andrea author non-byline.; Cardenas-Blanco Arturo author non-byline.; Chio Adriano author non-byline.; De Carvalho Mamede author non-byline.; Dahnke Robert author non-byline.; Enzinger Christian author non-byline.; Ferraro Pilar Maria author non-byline.; Floeter Mary Kay author non-byline.; Foerster Bradley author non-byline.; Gaser Christian author non-byline.; Geraldo Ana Filipa author non-byline.; Gorges Martin author non-byline.; Grehl Torsten author non-byline.; Groen Georg author non-byline.; Hardiman Orla author non-byline.; Hartung Viktor author non-byline.; Jelsone-Swain Laura author non-byline.; Jenkins Tom author non-byline.; Kalra Sanjay author non-byline.; Kasper Elisabeth author non-byline.; Kitzler Hagen author non-byline.; Koritnik Blaz author non-byline.; Kuzma–Kozakiewicz Magdalena author non-byline.; LaFleur Karl author non-byline.; Lulé Dorothée author non-byline.; Machts Judith author non-byline.; Meoded Avner author non-byline.; Pettit Lewis author non-byline.; Euan MacDonald author non-byline.; Pioro Erik author non-byline.; Poletti Barbara author non-byline.; Pradat Pierre-Francois author non-byline.; Prell Tino author non-byline.; Proudfoot Malcolm author non-byline.; Ratti Elena author non-byline.; Riva Nilo author non-byline.; Robberecht Wim author non-byline.; Ropele Stefan author non-byline.; Salachas Francois author non-byline.; Schmidt Ruben author non-byline.; Schmidt-Wilcke author non-byline.; Schuster Christina author non-byline.; Shaw Pamela author non-byline.; Sherman Alex author non-byline.; Silani Vincenzo author non-byline.; Spinelli Edoardo Gioele author non-byline.; Teipel Stefan author non-byline.; Van Damme Philip author non-byline.; Van den Berg Leonard author non-byline.; Van den Heuvel Martin author non-byline.; Verstraete Esther author non-byline.; Walhout Renée author non-byline.; Welsh Robert author non-byline.; Weber Markus author non-byline.; Westeneng Henk-Jan author non-byline.; Wittstock Matthias author non-byline.; Yunusova Yana author non-byline.;
• Is Part Of: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry. Volume 87:Issue 6(2016)
• Page Start: 570
• Page End: 579
• Publication Date: 2016-01-08
• Subjects: Neurology -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2015-311952
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3050

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: Damage to the cerebral tissue structural connectivity associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which extends beyond the motor pathways, can be visualised by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The effective translation of DTI metrics as biomarker requires its application across multiple MRI scanners and patient cohorts. A multicentre study was undertaken to assess structural connectivity in ALS within a large sample size. Methods: 442 DTI data sets from patients with ALS (N=253) and controls (N=189) were collected for this retrospective study, from eight international ALS-specialist clinic sites. Equipment and DTI protocols varied across the centres. Fractional anisotropy (FA) maps of the control participants were used to establish correction matrices to pool data, and correction algorithms were applied to the FA maps of the control and ALS patient groups. Results: Analysis of data pooled from all centres, using whole-brain-based statistical analysis of FA maps, confirmed the most significant alterations in the corticospinal tracts, and captured additional significant white matter tract changes in the frontal lobe, brainstem and hippocampal regions of the ALS group that coincided with postmortem neuropathological stages. Stratification of the ALS group for disease severity (ALS functional rating scale) confirmed these findings. Interpretation: This large-scale study overcomes the challenges associated with processing and analysis of multiplatform, multicentre DTI data, and effectively demonstrates the anatomical fingerprint patterns of changes in a DTI metric that reflect distinct ALS disease stages. This success paves the way for the use of DTI-based metrics as read-out in natural history, prognostic stratification and multisite disease-modifying studies in ALS.