Multishell Diffusion MR Tractography Yields Morphological and Microstructural Information of the Anterior Optic Pathway: A Proof-of-Concept Study in Patients with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy

David Neil Manners, Laura Ludovica Gramegna, Chiara La Morgia, Giovanni Sighinolfi, Cristiana Fiscone, Michele Carbonelli, Martina Romagnoli, Valerio Carelli, Caterina Tonon and Raffaele Lodi
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David Neil Manners: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Laura Ludovica Gramegna: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Chiara La Morgia: IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139 Bologna, Italy
Giovanni Sighinolfi: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Cristiana Fiscone: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Michele Carbonelli: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Martina Romagnoli: IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139 Bologna, Italy
Valerio Carelli: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Caterina Tonon: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Raffaele Lodi: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-13

Abstract: Tractography based on multishell diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) can be used to estimate the course of myelinated white matter tracts and nerves, yielding valuable information regarding normal anatomy and variability. DWI is sensitive to the local tissue microstructure, so tractography can be used to estimate tissue properties within nerve tracts at a resolution of millimeters. This study aimed to test the applicability of the method using a disease with a well-established pattern of myelinated nerve involvement. Eight patients with LHON and 13 age-matched healthy controls underwent tractography of the anterior optic pathway. Diffusion parameters were compared between groups, and for the patient group correlated with clinical/ophthalmological parameters. Tractography established the course of the anterior optic pathway in both patients and controls. Localized changes in fractional anisotropy were observed, and related to estimates of different tissue compartments within the nerve and tract. The proportion of different compartments correlated with markers of disease severity. The method described allows both anatomical localization and tissue characterization in vivo, permitting both visualization of variation at the individual level and statistical inference at the group level. It provides a valuable adjunct to ex vivo anatomical and histological study of normal variation and disease processes.

Keywords: Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy; anterior optic pathway; brain tractography; brain functional morphology; brain diffusion-weighted MR imaging; neuro-ophthalmology; human anatomy of the nervous system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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