Diffusion Tension Imaging as the Biomarker for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (P4.4-023)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), as an imaging biomarker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Background: ALS has no reliable biomarker to evaluate clinical status. DTI which can detect microstructural changes of the brain has been studied in ALS with some controversy in the results. Design/Methods: Probable or definite ALS and age-and-sex-matched healthy controls enrolled in this study. DTIs of ALS and that of the controls were acquired on 3 Tesla MRI systems. Demographic and clinical data at the time of taking DTI were also collected. Using the Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB) Software Library (FSL version 5.0.9, Oxford, UK), raw DTI data were preprocessed and voxel-wise statistical analyses were performed for the fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), mean diffusivity (MD) and Mode (MO) data. Comparison of DTI between patients and control were performed. Correlation of DTI with clinical data, including symptom onset region and cognitive dysfunction, were also analyzed. Results: A total 96 ALS (58 men; mean age as 55.36 years) and 47 controls (28 men; mean age as 57.49 years) were recruited. DTI analysis revealed that ALS had a significantly decreased FA (p Conclusions: Our study revealed that DTI parameters could detect the structural changes of the brain and represent clinical and functional status in ALS. These findings suggest DTI could be useful as imaging biomarkers in ALS. Disclosure: Dr. Baek has nothing to disclose. Dr. Park has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Seok has nothing to disclose. Dr. Oh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kwon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tae has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose.