Magnetic susceptibility in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disorder that entails degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons. The primary motor cortex (M1) in patients with upper motor neuron (UMN) impairment is pronouncedly hypointense in Magnetic Resonance (MR) T2* contrast. In the p...

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Main Authors: M. Costagli, G. Donatelli, L. Biagi, E. Caldarazzo Ienco, G. Siciliano, M. Tosetti, M. Cosottini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2016-01-01
Series:NeuroImage: Clinical
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158216300742
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author M. Costagli
G. Donatelli
L. Biagi
E. Caldarazzo Ienco
G. Siciliano
M. Tosetti
M. Cosottini
author_facet M. Costagli
G. Donatelli
L. Biagi
E. Caldarazzo Ienco
G. Siciliano
M. Tosetti
M. Cosottini
author_sort M. Costagli
collection DOAJ
description Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disorder that entails degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons. The primary motor cortex (M1) in patients with upper motor neuron (UMN) impairment is pronouncedly hypointense in Magnetic Resonance (MR) T2* contrast. In the present study, 3D gradient-recalled multi-echo sequences were used on a 7 Tesla MR system to acquire T2*-weighted images targeting M1 at high spatial resolution. MR raw data were used for Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM). Measures of magnetic susceptibility correlated with the expected concentration of non-heme iron in different regions of the cerebral cortex in healthy subjects. In ALS patients, significant increases in magnetic susceptibility co-localized with the T2* hypointensity observed in the middle and deep layers of M1. The magnetic susceptibility, hence iron concentration, of the deep cortical layers of patients' M1 subregions corresponding to Penfield's areas of the hand and foot in both hemispheres significantly correlated with the clinical scores of UMN impairment of the corresponding limbs. QSM therefore reflects the presence of iron deposits related to neuroinflammatory reaction and cortical microgliosis, and might prove useful in estimating M1 iron concentration, as a possible radiological sign of severe UMN burden in ALS patients.
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spelling doaj.art-414607dcbc484e1eac8947ee3b2609ff2022-12-22T03:08:06ZengElsevierNeuroImage: Clinical2213-15822016-01-0112C96596910.1016/j.nicl.2016.04.011Magnetic susceptibility in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisM. Costagli0G. Donatelli1L. Biagi2E. Caldarazzo Ienco3G. Siciliano4M. Tosetti5M. Cosottini6Imago7 Research Foundation, Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, ItalyLaboratory of Medical Physics and Biotechnologies for Magnetic Resonance, IRCCS Stella Maris, Pisa, ItalyNeurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, ItalyNeurology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, ItalyImago7 Research Foundation, Pisa, ItalyImago7 Research Foundation, Pisa, ItalyAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disorder that entails degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons. The primary motor cortex (M1) in patients with upper motor neuron (UMN) impairment is pronouncedly hypointense in Magnetic Resonance (MR) T2* contrast. In the present study, 3D gradient-recalled multi-echo sequences were used on a 7 Tesla MR system to acquire T2*-weighted images targeting M1 at high spatial resolution. MR raw data were used for Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM). Measures of magnetic susceptibility correlated with the expected concentration of non-heme iron in different regions of the cerebral cortex in healthy subjects. In ALS patients, significant increases in magnetic susceptibility co-localized with the T2* hypointensity observed in the middle and deep layers of M1. The magnetic susceptibility, hence iron concentration, of the deep cortical layers of patients' M1 subregions corresponding to Penfield's areas of the hand and foot in both hemispheres significantly correlated with the clinical scores of UMN impairment of the corresponding limbs. QSM therefore reflects the presence of iron deposits related to neuroinflammatory reaction and cortical microgliosis, and might prove useful in estimating M1 iron concentration, as a possible radiological sign of severe UMN burden in ALS patients.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158216300742
spellingShingle M. Costagli
G. Donatelli
L. Biagi
E. Caldarazzo Ienco
G. Siciliano
M. Tosetti
M. Cosottini
Magnetic susceptibility in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
NeuroImage: Clinical
title Magnetic susceptibility in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_full Magnetic susceptibility in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_fullStr Magnetic susceptibility in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_full_unstemmed Magnetic susceptibility in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_short Magnetic susceptibility in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_sort magnetic susceptibility in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158216300742
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