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Sierra-Silvestre E, Smith RE, Andrade RJ, Kennedy B, Coppieters MW. Microstructural changes in the median and ulnar nerve in people with and without diabetic neuropathy in their hands: A cross-sectional diffusion MRI study. Eur J Radiol 2024; 181:111721. [PMID: 39260209 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2024.111721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) has revealed microstructural changes in lower limb nerves in people with diabetic neuropathy. Microstructural changes in upper limb nerves using DWI in people with diabetes have not yet been explored. METHODS This cross-sectional study aimed to quantify and compare the microstructure of the median and ulnar nerve in people without diabetes (n = 10), people with diabetes without distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSPN; n = 10), people with DSPN in the lower limbs only (DSPN FEET ONLY; n = 12), and people with DSPN in the upper and lower limbs (DSPN HANDS & FEET; n = 9). DSPN diagnosis included electrodiagnosis and corneal confocal microscopy. Tensor metrics, such as fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity and axial diffusivity, and constrained spherical deconvolution metrics, such as dispersion and complexity, were calculated. Linear mixed-models were used to quantify DWI metrics from multiple models in median and ulnar nerves across the groups, and to evaluate potential differences in metrics at the wrist and elbow based on the principle of a distal-to-proximal disease progression. RESULTS Tensor metrics revealed microstructural abnormalities in the median and ulnar nerve in people with DSPN HANDS & FEET, and also already in DSPN FEET ONLY. There were significant negative correlations between electrodiagnostic parameters and tensor metrics. A distal-to-proximal pattern was more pronounced in the median nerve. Non-tensor metrics showed early microstructural changes in people with diabetes without DSPN. CONCLUSION Compared to people without diabetes, microstructural changes in upper limb nerves can be identified in people with diabetes with and without DSPN, even before symptoms occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sierra-Silvestre
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia; Amsterdam Movement Sciences - Program Musculoskeletal Health, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. https://twitter.com/esiesil
| | - Robert E Smith
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Heidelberg, Australia; The Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ricardo J Andrade
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia; Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP), Nantes University, Nantes, France. https://twitter.com/jacobofhume
| | - Ben Kennedy
- Mermaid Beach Radiology, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Michel W Coppieters
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia; Amsterdam Movement Sciences - Program Musculoskeletal Health, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. https://twitter.com/michelcoppie
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Chen Y, Baraz J, Xuan SY, Yang X, Castoro R, Xuan Y, Roth AR, Dortch RD, Li J. Multiparametric Quantitative MRI of Peripheral Nerves in the Leg: A Reliability Study. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 59:563-574. [PMID: 37191075 PMCID: PMC11188919 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with polyneuropathies typically have demyelination and/or axonal degeneration in peripheral nerves. Currently, there is a lack of imaging biomarkers to track the changes in these pathologies. PURPOSE To develop and evaluate the reliability of a multiparametric quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) method of peripheral nerves in the leg. STUDY TYPE Prospective. SUBJECTS Seventeen healthy volunteers (36.2 ± 13.8 years old, 9 males) with 10 of them scanned twice for test-retest. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3 T, three-dimensional gradient echo and diffusion tensor imaging. ASSESSMENT A qMRI protocol and processing pipeline was established for quantifying the following nerve parameters that are sensitive to myelin and axonal pathologies: magnetization transfer (MT) ratio (MTR), MT saturation index (MTsat), T2 *, T1 , proton density (PD), fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean/axial/radial diffusivities (MD, AD, and RD). The qMRI protocol also measures the volume of nerve fascicles (fVOL) and the fat fraction (FF) of muscles. STATISTICAL TESTS The intersession reproducibility and inter-rater reliability of each qMRI parameter were assessed by Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Pairwise Pearson correlation analyses were performed to investigate the intrinsic association between qMRI parameters. Distal-to-proximal variations were evaluated by paired t-tests with Bonferroni-Holm multiple comparison corrections. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS The MTR, MTsat, T2 *, T1 , PD, FA, AD, and fVOL of the sciatic and tibial nerves, and the FF of leg muscles, had an overall good-to-excellent test-retest agreement (ICC varying from 0.78 to 0.99). All the qMRI parameters had good-to-excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC > 0.80). The data demonstrated a pattern of distal-to-proximal changes of an increased nerve MTsat and FA, and a decreased nerve T1 , PD, MD, and RD, as well as a significantly increased muscle FF. DATA CONCLUSION The proposed multiparametric qMRI method of the peripheral nerves is highly reproducible and provided healthy control data which will be used in developing monitoring biomarkers in patients with polyneuropathies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsheng Chen
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Jacob Baraz
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Stephanie Yan Xuan
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Xue Yang
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Ryan Castoro
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Yang Xuan
- Department of Radiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Alison R. Roth
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Richard D. Dortch
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA
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Gasparotti R, Salvalaggio A, Corbo D, Agazzi G, Cacciavillani M, Lozza A, Fenu S, De Vigili G, Tagliapietra M, Fabrizi GM, Pareyson D, Obici L, Briani C. Magnetic resonance neurography and diffusion tensor imaging of the sciatic nerve in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis polyneuropathy. J Neurol 2023; 270:4827-4840. [PMID: 37329346 PMCID: PMC10511361 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11813-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The therapeutic advance in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv amyloidosis) requires quantitative biomarkers of nerve involvement in order to foster early diagnosis and monitor therapy response. We aimed at quantitatively assessing Magnetic Resonance Neurography (MRN) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) properties of the sciatic nerve in subjects with ATTRv-amyloidosis-polyneuropathy (ATTRv-PN) and pre-symptomatic carriers (ATTRv-C). Twenty subjects with pathogenic variants of the TTR gene (mean age 62.20 ± 12.04 years), 13 ATTRv-PN, and 7 ATTRv-C were evaluated and compared with 20 healthy subjects (mean age 60.1 ± 8.27 years). MRN and DTI sequences were performed at the right thigh from the gluteal region to the popliteal fossa. Cross-sectional-area (CSA), normalized signal intensity (NSI), and DTI metrics, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean (MD), axial (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) of the right sciatic nerve were measured. Increased CSA, NSI, RD, and reduced FA of sciatic nerve differentiated ATTRv-PN from ATTRv-C and healthy subjects at all levels (p < 0.01). NSI differentiated ATTRv-C from controls at all levels (p < 0.05), RD at proximal and mid-thigh (1.04 ± 0.1 vs 0.86 ± 0.11 p < 0.01), FA at mid-thigh (0.51 ± 0.02 vs 0.58 ± 0.04 p < 0.01). According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, cutoff values differentiating ATTRv-C from controls (and therefore identifying subclinical sciatic involvement) were defined for FA, RD, and NSI. Significant correlations between MRI measures, clinical involvement and neurophysiology were found. In conclusion, the combination of quantitative MRN and DTI of the sciatic nerve can reliably differentiate ATTRv-PN, ATTRv-C, and healthy controls. More important, MRN and DTI were able to non-invasively identify early subclinical microstructural changes in pre-symptomatic carriers, thus representing a potential tool for early diagnosis and disease monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Gasparotti
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili Hospital, P.Le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Salvalaggio
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 5, 35128, Padua, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Daniele Corbo
- Neuroradiology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili Hospital, P.Le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Agazzi
- Neuroradiology Unit, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Lozza
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Silvia Fenu
- Rare Neurological Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Grazia De Vigili
- Parkinson and Movement Disorders Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Tagliapietra
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Gian Maria Fabrizi
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Davide Pareyson
- Rare Neurological Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Obici
- Amyloidosis Research and Treatment Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Chiara Briani
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 5, 35128, Padua, Italy
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Stavrou M, Kleopa KA. CMT1A current gene therapy approaches and promising biomarkers. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:1434-1440. [PMID: 36571339 PMCID: PMC10075121 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.361538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathies (CMT) constitute a group of common but highly heterogeneous, non-syndromic genetic disorders affecting predominantly the peripheral nervous system. CMT type 1A (CMT1A) is the most frequent type and accounts for almost ~50% of all diagnosed CMT cases. CMT1A results from the duplication of the peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) gene. Overexpression of PMP22 protein overloads the protein folding apparatus in Schwann cells and activates the unfolded protein response. This leads to Schwann cell apoptosis, dys- and de- myelination and secondary axonal degeneration, ultimately causing neurological disabilities. During the last decades, several different gene therapies have been developed to treat CMT1A. Almost all of them remain at the pre-clinical stage using CMT1A animal models overexpressing PMP22. The therapeutic goal is to achieve gene silencing, directly or indirectly, thereby reversing the CMT1A genetic mechanism allowing the recovery of myelination and prevention of axonal loss. As promising treatments are rapidly emerging, treatment-responsive and clinically relevant biomarkers are becoming necessary. These biomarkers and sensitive clinical evaluation tools will facilitate the design and successful completion of future clinical trials for CMT1A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Stavrou
- Neuroscience Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Kleopas A Kleopa
- Neuroscience Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics; Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Obrecht M, Zurbruegg S, Accart N, Lambert C, Doelemeyer A, Ledermann B, Beckmann N. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound elastography in the context of preclinical pharmacological research: significance for the 3R principles. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1177421. [PMID: 37448960 PMCID: PMC10337591 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1177421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The 3Rs principles-reduction, refinement, replacement-are at the core of preclinical research within drug discovery, which still relies to a great extent on the availability of models of disease in animals. Minimizing their distress, reducing their number as well as searching for means to replace them in experimental studies are constant objectives in this area. Due to its non-invasive character in vivo imaging supports these efforts by enabling repeated longitudinal assessments in each animal which serves as its own control, thereby enabling to reduce considerably the animal utilization in the experiments. The repetitive monitoring of pathology progression and the effects of therapy becomes feasible by assessment of quantitative biomarkers. Moreover, imaging has translational prospects by facilitating the comparison of studies performed in small rodents and humans. Also, learnings from the clinic may be potentially back-translated to preclinical settings and therefore contribute to refining animal investigations. By concentrating on activities around the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound elastography to small rodent models of disease, we aim to illustrate how in vivo imaging contributes primarily to reduction and refinement in the context of pharmacological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Obrecht
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Zurbruegg
- Neurosciences Department, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Accart
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Lambert
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Arno Doelemeyer
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Birgit Ledermann
- 3Rs Leader, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicolau Beckmann
- Diseases of Aging and Regenerative Medicines, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
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Sun X, Liu X, Zhao Q, Zhang M, Zhang L, Yuan H. Proximal nerve MR neurography with diffusion tensor imaging in differentiating subtypes of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Eur Radiol 2022; 32:3855-3862. [PMID: 35084519 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-021-08506-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the feasibility of proximal nerve MR neurography with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for differentiating Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) 1A, CMT2, and healthy controls. METHODS The diameters, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) of L4-L5 nerve roots, femoral nerve (FN), and sciatic nerve (SN) were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance. DeLong's tests were applied to compare multiple ROC curves. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated for interobserver agreement assessment. RESULTS The diameters of the L4 nerve root, L5 nerve root, and SN of CMT1A patients were significantly larger than those of CMT2 patients and healthy controls. The FA values of all measured proximal nerves were significantly higher in controls (0.46 ± 0.09, 0.46 ± 0.08, 0.45 ± 0.07, and 0.48 ± 0.08) than in CMT1A patients (0.30 ± 0.09, 0.29 ± 0.06, 0.35 ± 0.08, and 0.29 ± 0.09). The FA values of the L5 nerve root, FN, and SN were significantly higher in controls (0.46 ± 0.08, 0.45 ± 0.07, and 0.48 ± 0.08) than in CMT2 patients (0.36 ± 0.06, 0.34 ± 0.07, and 0.34 ± 0.10). The MD and RD values of the L5 nerve root in CMT1A patients (1.59 ± 0.21 and 1.37 ± 0.21) were higher than those in CMT2 patients (1.31 ± 0.17 and 1.05 ± 0.14). The AUCs of the above parameters ranged from 0.780 to 1.000. For the measurements of nerve diameters, the ICC ranged from 0.91 to 0.97. For the measurements of DTI metrics, the ICC ranged from 0.87 to 0.97. CONCLUSIONS MR neurography with DTI is able to differentiate CMT1A patients, CMT2 patients, and healthy controls. KEY POINTS • MR neurography with diffusion tensor imaging of the L4-5 nerve roots, proximal femoral nerve, and proximal sciatic nerve is able to discriminate CMT1A, CMT2, and healthy controls. • This method provides an alternative for the diagnosis and discrimination of CMT1A and CMT2, which is crucial for clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingwen Sun
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxuan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengze Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Lihua Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China.
| | - Huishu Yuan
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, People's Republic of China.
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Schweitzer ME. On Health Care Disparities and (J)MRI. J Magn Reson Imaging 2021; 54:339-340. [PMID: 34021660 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.27728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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Hardy PA. Editorial for "Microstructural Integrity of Peripheral Nerves in Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Disease: An MRI Evaluation Study". J Magn Reson Imaging 2020; 53:445-446. [PMID: 33128410 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.27417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Hardy
- Department of Radiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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