Magnetization Transfer Imaging in Premanifest and Manifest Huntington Disease

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:MTI has the potential to detect abnormalities in normal-appearing white and gray matter on conventional MR imaging. Early detection methods and disease progression markers are needed in HD research. Therefore, we investigated MTI parameters and their clinical correlates in premanifest and manifest HD.

Magnetization Transfer Imaging in Premanifest and Manifest Huntington Disease: A 2-Year Follow-Up

“…6,7,17 Mean MTR was found to be lower in several brain regions in manifest HD 6 or in a combined cohort of premanifest and manifest HD, 7 compared with controls. Also MTR peak height in several regions was found to be lower in manifest HD, 6 and though there was no group difference, the MTR peak height related to subtle motor abnormalities and higher cytosine/adenosine-guanine repeat length in a premanifest HD cohort. 17 To date, no longitudinal MTI studies in HD are available, to our knowledge.…”

“…The results are suggestive of the potential of MTI as a biomarker. 6,7 However, no longitudinal reports are available, to our knowledge. TRACK-HD is specifically designed to determine the most valuable measures to monitor disease progression.…”

“…The scanning protocol described in our cross-sectional report 6 was performed in an identical manner 2 years after the baseline visit. In short, all participants underwent scanning on a 3T whole-body scanner (Philips, Best, the Netherlands) with an 8-channel receive and transmit coil.…”

“…In previous structural MR imaging studies, significant brain disturbances in terms of striatal atrophy, 10,11 white matter disturbances, 12,13 cortical thickness reductions, 14 and whole-brain volume reduction 10 6,7,16,17 The main outcome measures used were mean MTR and MTR peak height and are thought to represent structural integrity. [17][18][19] Mean MTR represents the average MTR value of all voxels in a region of interest, with a lower mean MTR corresponding to a loss of tissue integrity.…”

“…3 MTI has first and foremost been applied in patients with MS; however, many other diseases have been studied by using MTI, such as Alzheimer disease, 4 Parkinson disease, 5 and HD. 6,7 Previous MR imaging studies in HD mainly focused on the search for a biomarker for monitoring disease progression. In this field lies a great opportunity to study the potential of MTI at very early stages of neurodegeneration.…”