The Diagnosis Value Of The Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging Tractography In Multiple Sclerosis

ObjectiveThe damage of efferent or afferent pathways of the cerebellum may cause movement disorders that are clinically indistinguishable from cerebellar sympotoms. We used deterministic diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging(DTI) tractography to study the relationship between ataxia and efferent cerebellar pathways in multiple sclerosis(MS) without the visible lesions in cerebellum.MethodsThe dentate-thalamo-cortical tract were acquired from 18 MS-SSCI and 18 age- and gender-matched normal controls by using DTI tractography. DTI dates and numbers of the fiber tract were compared between the two groups. The relationships between the expanded disability states scale(EDSS) scores, disease duration and DTI parameters of regions of interest were further explored. Results Compared with the controls, MS exhibited significantly increased FA and reduced ADC in the right thalamus(p < 0.05); There is no significant correlation between EDSS scores,disease duration and DTI parameters(p > 0.05).ConclusionOur results detected DTI parameters abnormalities in MS. We conclude that in vivo mapping of cerebral pathways using DTI tractography in patients with focal extracerebellar brain lesions may provide evidence of circumscribed damage to the dentate-thalamo-cortical tract.