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Neuroradiology
Published in: Neuroradiology 6/2019

01-06-2019 | Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | Diagnostic Neuroradiology

Motor cortex hypointensity on susceptibility-weighted imaging: a potential imaging marker of iron accumulation in patients with cognitive impairment

Authors: Mina Park, Yeonsil Moon, Seol-Heui Han, Won-Jin Moon

Published in: Neuroradiology | Issue 6/2019

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess the prevalence and characteristics of motor cortex hypointensity on 3-T susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in patients with cognitive impairment and examine its clinical significance.

Methods

The institutional review board approved this retrospective study and waived the requirement for informed consent. A total of 127 patients with a clinical diagnosis of probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (n = 32) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 95) and 127 age- and sex-matched control subjects underwent 3-T brain magnetic resonance imaging. SWI was analyzed for both subjective visual scoring and the quantitative estimation of phase shift in the posterior bank of the motor cortex. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify clinical and imaging variables associated with motor cortex hypointensity on SWI.

Results

Motor cortex hypointensity on SWI was observed in 94/127 cognitively impaired patients (74.0%) and 72/127 control subjects (56.7%) (p = 0.004). Age was the only variable that was significantly associated with motor cortex hypointensity in patients with cognitive impairment (odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.065–1.242; p < 0.001). The quantitative analysis confirmed a significant increase in phase shifting in the posterior bank of the motor cortex in patients with positive motor cortex hypointensity on SWI (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Motor cortex hypointensity on SWI was more frequently found in patients with cognitive impairment than in age-matched controls and was positively associated with age. Thus, it may be a potential imaging marker of iron accumulation in patients with MCI or AD.
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Metadata
Title
Motor cortex hypointensity on susceptibility-weighted imaging: a potential imaging marker of iron accumulation in patients with cognitive impairment
Authors
Mina Park
Yeonsil Moon
Seol-Heui Han
Won-Jin Moon
Publication date
01-06-2019
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Neuroradiology / Issue 6/2019
Print ISSN: 0028-3940
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-019-02159-3

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