Complementary Image Analysis of Diffusion Tensor Imaging and 3-Dimensional T1-Weighted Imaging: White Matter Analysis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

INTRODUCTION In order to obtain detailed information on disease-associated changes in the integrity of cerebral white matter (WM), complementary image analysis (CIA) was applied to patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and controls. METHODS Both diffusion tensor imaging and T1-weighted 3-dimensional data were analyzed with respect to WM microstructure and T1 signal intensity alterations, respectively, in a sample of 19 ALS patients. Covariate information was added in the form of clinical parameters. All results were obtained in one common analysis software environment (Tensor Imaging and Fiber Tracking). RESULTS Complementary analysis and display were performed for WM directionality and structure. Significant WM differences between ALS patients and controls were observed both in the motor system, that is, the bilateral corticospinal tracts, and in extramotor brain areas, in part correlating with clinical parameters. The performance of all analyses in one software environment enabled the synopsis of results obtained from various analyses. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Within the application of CIA to a neurodegenerative disease for the whole brain-based analysis of WM alterations together with clinical characteristics, it could be demonstrated that ALS was associated with WM changes within and outside the motor system.