Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder is a demyelinating and inflammatory affliction that often leads to visual disturbance. Various imaging techniques, including free-water imaging, have been used to determine neuroinflammation and degeneration. Therefore, this study aimed at determining multimodal imaging differences between patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, especially those with visual disturbance, and healthy controls.
METHODS: Eighty-five neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients and 89 age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We analyzed adjusted brain-predicted age difference, voxel-based morphometry, and free-water-corrected diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) by tract-based spatial statistics in each patient group (MRI-positive/negative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients with or without a history of visual disturbance) compared with the healthy control group.
RESULTS: MRI-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients exhibited reduced volumes of the bilateral thalamus. Tract-based spatial statistics showed diffuse white matter abnormalities in all DTI metrics in MRI-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients with a history of visual disturbance. In MRI-negative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients with a history of visual disturbance, voxel-based morphometry showed volume reduction of bilateral thalami and optic radiations, and tract-based spatial statistics revealed significantly lower free-water-corrected fractional anisotropy and higher mean diffusivity in the posterior dominant distributions, including the optic nerve radiation.
CONCLUSIONS: Free-water-corrected DTI and voxel-based morphometry analyses may reflect symptoms of visual disturbance in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
METHODS: Eighty-five neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients and 89 age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We analyzed adjusted brain-predicted age difference, voxel-based morphometry, and free-water-corrected diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) by tract-based spatial statistics in each patient group (MRI-positive/negative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients with or without a history of visual disturbance) compared with the healthy control group.
RESULTS: MRI-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients exhibited reduced volumes of the bilateral thalamus. Tract-based spatial statistics showed diffuse white matter abnormalities in all DTI metrics in MRI-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients with a history of visual disturbance. In MRI-negative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients with a history of visual disturbance, voxel-based morphometry showed volume reduction of bilateral thalami and optic radiations, and tract-based spatial statistics revealed significantly lower free-water-corrected fractional anisotropy and higher mean diffusivity in the posterior dominant distributions, including the optic nerve radiation.
CONCLUSIONS: Free-water-corrected DTI and voxel-based morphometry analyses may reflect symptoms of visual disturbance in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
摘要：
目的：视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍是一种脱髓鞘和炎症性疾病，通常会导致视觉障碍。各种成像技术，包括自由水成像，已被用于确定神经炎症和变性。因此,这项研究旨在确定视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者之间的多模式影像学差异，尤其是那些有视觉障碍的人，和健康的控制。
方法：85名视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者和89名年龄和性别匹配的健康对照者接受了3-T磁共振成像（MRI）。我们分析了调整后的大脑预测年龄差异，基于体素的形态计量学，与健康对照组相比，每个患者组（有或没有视觉障碍史的MRI阳性/阴性视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者）的基于道的空间统计和自由水校正的扩散张量成像（DTI）。
结果：MRI阳性视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者表现为双侧丘脑体积减少。基于道的空间统计显示，在有视觉障碍史的MRI阳性视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者中，所有DTI指标中的弥漫性白质异常。在有视觉障碍病史的MRI阴性视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者中，基于体素的形态计量学显示双侧丘脑和视神经辐射的体积减少，和基于道的空间统计数据显示，在后验优势分布中，自由水校正的分数各向异性和平均扩散系数显着降低，包括视神经辐射.
结论：自由水校正的DTI和基于体素的形态学分析可能反映视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍的视觉障碍症状。
方法：85名视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者和89名年龄和性别匹配的健康对照者接受了3-T磁共振成像（MRI）。我们分析了调整后的大脑预测年龄差异，基于体素的形态计量学，与健康对照组相比，每个患者组（有或没有视觉障碍史的MRI阳性/阴性视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者）的基于道的空间统计和自由水校正的扩散张量成像（DTI）。
结果：MRI阳性视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者表现为双侧丘脑体积减少。基于道的空间统计显示，在有视觉障碍史的MRI阳性视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者中，所有DTI指标中的弥漫性白质异常。在有视觉障碍病史的MRI阴性视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍患者中，基于体素的形态计量学显示双侧丘脑和视神经辐射的体积减少，和基于道的空间统计数据显示，在后验优势分布中，自由水校正的分数各向异性和平均扩散系数显着降低，包括视神经辐射.
结论：自由水校正的DTI和基于体素的形态学分析可能反映视神经脊髓炎谱系障碍的视觉障碍症状。
