• About
  • Masthead
  • License Content
  • Advertise
  • Submit Press Release
  • RSS/Email List
  • Write for us
  • Contact us
2 Minute Medicine
No Result
View All Result

No products in the cart.

SUBSCRIBE
  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • AccountLog-in/out
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account
2 Minute Medicine
  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • AccountLog-in/out
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account
SUBSCRIBE
2 Minute Medicine
Subscribe
Home All Specialties Chronic Disease

Quantitative susceptibility mapping may help diagnose amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

byBenjamin Laguna, MDandDylan Wolman
May 8, 2015
in Chronic Disease, Imaging and Intervention, Neurology
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

1. Quantitative susceptibility mapping is both a sensitive and specific imaging technique for the degree of iron deposition in the motor cortex, a useful biomarker in the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and primary lateral sclerosis.  

Evidence Rating: 3 (Average)

Study Rundown: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is currently a diagnosis of exclusion without a reliable biomarker for early detection, and diagnosis often requires documentation of progressive upper and lower motor neuron signs over long periods of time. Similarly, primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) remains difficult to diagnose as it is less common, has a more indolent course and only affects the upper motor neurons, but may be physiologically related to ALS. False positive diagnostic rates remain high and imaging has played a limited role in these diagnoses of exclusion. The current study utilized quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to assess the magnetic susceptibility of tissues, a technique which highlights the paramagnetic effects of metal deposition well while differentiating from the diamagnetic effects of calcium deposits. The rationale was based upon prior studies reporting increased microglial iron deposition in the motor cortex of patients suffering from ALS.

QSM was found to be both a sensitive and specific technique in assessing the level of iron deposition in patients with upper motor neuron disease consistent with ALS or PLS. These patients were matched to control patients and evaluated by 2 neuroradiologists who were blinded to diagnosis. The ability of QSM to aid in the diagnosis of ALS or PLS was compared against the diagnostic accuracy of T2 and T2 weighted fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences, on which hypointensity had previously been shown to correlate with disease severity. This study is among the first to identify QSM as a viable technique to quantify iron deposition in the motor cortex, one of the first biomarkers that have been identified to possibly aid in the early diagnosis of patients with ALS or PLS. Limitations in the study included the small sample size and case-series nature. Additionally, the exclusion of high risk patients from the study due to the technical difficulty in evaluating them through MRI, posed a significant limitation by potentially excluding evidence that would further support the use of QSM in the diagnosis of ALS or PLS in those patients with the most advanced disease, and presumably, a proportional increase in biomarker deposition.

Click to read the study in American Journal of Roentgenology

Relevant reading: Brain iron MRI: a biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In-Depth [case-control study]: Patients that had previously been identified as having possible, probable or definite ALS/PLS were identified through institutional chart review, using the El Escorial criteria for ALS and clinical criteria for PLS. Of these patients, 16 were identified for study inclusion and matched to 23 control patients based on age and sex. Two neuroradiologists, blinded to the diagnosis, evaluated QSM, T2-weighted, T2-FLAIR and T2*-weighted images for the presence of motor neuron disease in both case and control patients. Findings were graded for motor cortex T2 hypointensity, motor cortex T2* hypointensity, motor cortex QSM hyperintensity, and corticospinal tract T2 hyperintensity. Relative susceptibility was quantified by segmentation of the motor cortex, with pixel intensity values thresholded against control white matter and cerebrospinal fluid. When evaluated against each other, QSM had the greatest diagnostic accuracy among imaging modalities in the diagnosis of ALS and PLS. Motor cortex susceptibility was found to be significantly greater in patients with motor neuron disease than in control patients (46.0 and 35.0 parts per billion; p < 0.001), with a receiver operating characteristic analysis showing an area under curve of 0.88 (p < 0.0001) for differentiating control patients from patients with ALS or PLS. Overall, the sensitivity and specificity of QSM in the diagnosis of ALS and PLS was 87.5% and 87%, respectively.

RELATED REPORTS

#VisualAbstract: Sodium phenylbutyrate-taurursodiol in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

#VisualAbstract: Intrathecal tofersen for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Diets rich in omega fatty acids may reduce ALS (Lou Gehrig’s) risk

Image: CC/Wikimedia Commons/Jurii

©2015 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. All rights reserved. No works may be reproduced without expressed written consent from 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. Inquire about licensing here. No article should be construed as medical advice and is not intended as such by the authors or by 2 Minute Medicine, Inc.

Tags: amyotrophic lateral sclerosisquantitative susceptibility mapping
Previous Post

Ultrasound-guided cryoablation shows promise in treating ductal carcinomas

Next Post

MRI study characterizes breast cancer patterns in augmented breasts

RelatedReports

#VisualAbstract: Sodium phenylbutyrate-taurursodiol in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients
StudyGraphics

#VisualAbstract: Sodium phenylbutyrate-taurursodiol in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

October 13, 2020
#VisualAbstract: The Portico aortic valve shows non-inferiority to commercially available valves (PORTICO IDE)
StudyGraphics

#VisualAbstract: Intrathecal tofersen for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

August 28, 2020
Higher omega-3 blood levels associated with larger brain volumes
Cardiology

Diets rich in omega fatty acids may reduce ALS (Lou Gehrig’s) risk

July 15, 2014
Next Post
MRI study characterizes breast cancer patterns in augmented breasts

MRI study characterizes breast cancer patterns in augmented breasts

Over-the-counter pain relievers not harmful to reproductive function

Over-the-counter pain relievers not harmful to reproductive function

Single-cycle adjuvant chemotherapy may be effective in stage I testicular cancer

Relative survival for ovarian cancer improved over three decades

License Our Award-Winning Physician-Written Medical News and Visual Abstracts

2 Minute Medicine is the leading authoritative medical news licensing service, and the only with reports written by practicing doctors.

LICENSE CONTENT

2MM+ Premium Access

No ads & unlimited access to all current reports, over 9000 searchable archived reports, visual abstracts, Weekly Rewinds, and the online edition of The Classics Series™ textbook.

Subscription Options
2 Minute Medicine

2 Minute Medicine® is an award winning, physician-run, expert medical media company. Our content is curated, written and edited by practicing health professionals who have clinical and scientific expertise in their field of reporting. Our editorial management team is comprised of highly-trained MD physicians. Join numerous brands, companies, and hospitals who trust our licensed content.

Recent Reports

  • Vitamin and mineral supplementation associated with minimal to no benefit in the primary preventing of cardiovascular disease and cancer – US Preventative Services Task Force
  • RSVpreF vaccine prevents symptomatic respiratory syncytial virus infection
  • Incidence of Kawasaki disease found to be lower during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
License Content
Terms of Use | Disclaimer
Cookie Policy
Privacy Statement (EU)
Disclaimer

© 2021 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. - Physician-written medical news.

  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • Account
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account

© 2021 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. - Physician-written medical news.