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Abstract #0833

Cerebellar Peduncles Intrinsic Damage in Multiple Sclerosis: Association with Clinical Disabilty

Paolo Preziosa1, Maria A. Rocca1, Sarlota Mesaros2, Elisabetta Pagani1, Tatjana Stosic-Opincal3, Jelena Drulovic2, Giancarlo Comi4, Massimo Filippi1

1Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, Italy; 2Clinic of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Yugoslavia; 3Clinic of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Yugoslavia; 4Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, Italy

A voxel-wise analysis to diffusion tensor (DT) MRI tractography and T2 lesions metrics of the middle (M) and superior (S) cerebellar peduncles (CP) was applied to quantify their structural damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and to assess its relationship with clinical disability. Compared to healthy controls, MS patients showed widespread diffusivity abnormalities along these tracts, which were more pronounced in clinically impaired patients. Compared to unimpaired patients, patients with overall and cerebellar clinical impairment had a higher probability of having T2 lesions in CPs. MS-related clinical impairment is due to both focal damage and diffuse white matter tract injury.

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Keywords

abnormalities according affected ambulation ambulatory anisotropy appearing apply assess assessment association axial bilaterally blue brain cerebellar cerebellum clinic clinical cluster clusters coded collected color column contribute controls convention corrected criteria damage decreased degeneration degree dichotomized diffuse diffusion diffusivity disability disease distribution dual duration expanded experimental explain faculty focal fractional frequently fully functional global green healthy impaired impairment index inflammation injury institute intrinsic lesions local longer mapping maps maria matched medicine metrics middle might neurological neurology objectives older overlapping parametric partially patients peduncles permanent predefined presence probability processes produced pronounced quantify radial radiology relationship salute scale scientific sclerosis score significantly statistical status structural superior systems tensor terms topographical tract tracts unimpaired unit violet vita white widespread wise