Diffusional Kurtosis Imaging, Neurite orientation and dispersion and density imaging-based whole brain analysis reveals occult brain damages in multiple sclerosis

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K10327
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHIDA MARIKO 順天堂大学, 医学部, 非常勤助教 (30755525)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 多発性硬化症 / 視神経炎 / DKI / NODDI / TBSS / ミエリンマップ / コネクトーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

MRI can quantify pathological changes occurring the normal appearing brain tissue (NABT) and normal appearing gray matter (NAGM) in multiple sclerosis (MS).In this research, we demonstrated the ability of neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) combined with diffusional kurtosis imaging(DKI) and synthetic MRI, were able to detect in vivo evaluation of MS patients.In another study, we evaluated the brain network topology in MS using connectomes with connectivity strengths based on the ratio of the inner to outer myelinated axon diameter (i.e., g-ratio), thereby providing enhanced sensitivity to demyelination compared with the conventional measures of connectivity.
They provide more precise diffusional information derived from the WM and GM microstructural changes of the brain tissue than conventional diffusion analysis such as fractional anisotropy (FA) acquired by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

Free Research Field

神経放射線

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

MS患者において、拡散テンソル解析に加えてDKIやsynthetic MRI併用によるNODDI、コネクトーム解析を行った報告は未だ少ない。脳内の異常を定量的に評価できる拡散解析は、病態生理の解明に寄与し学術的にも意義がある。これまでの研究で、MS患者のNABTや皮質の異常を鋭敏に捉えことができ、臨床症状との相関を得た。これらの指標による変化がどのような微細構造の変化に基づいているのか解明できる可能性がある。今後これらのイメージングがMS患者の治療において反応性の評価や早期診断に有用であることが確立されればMS患者の新規治療薬の有効性の評価や早期の治療開始の判断に有用であることが期待される。