Vol.66 No.4 page.245

Journal of Nippon Medical School

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ArticleTitle Value of magnetization transfer contrast as a sensitive technique to reflect histopathological changes in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns of lateral ventricles

AuthorList Madoka Nakahara¹⁾ , Hiromitsu Hayashi¹⁾ , Tatsuo Kumazaki¹⁾ and Osamu Mori²⁾

Affiliation ¹⁾ Department of Radiology, Nippon Medical School²⁾ Department of Pathology, Nippon Medical School

Language EN

Volume 66

Issue 4

Year 1999

Page 245-252

Received February 17, 1999

Accepted April 26, 1999

Keywords magnetization transfer contrast, magnetization transfer ratio, reactive astrocyte

Abstract The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) as a technique to reflect histopathological changes in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns of the lateral ventricles. Radiological-pathological correlation was performed in six patients who underwent Magnetic Resonance (MR) examination prior to death and in whom postmortem examinations of the brain were obtained. The extent and the severity of degeneration in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns were evaluated histopathologically, and compared with those observed on the conventional proton density ( PD) weighted MR images (Group 1). Changes in the white matter of another 35 patients were classified into three types according to the pattern of high signals adjacent to the frontal horns on conventional PD weighted MR images, and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns was calculated from multi-slice and single-slice FSE images (Group 2). The relationship between signal intensities and MTR in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns was evaluated. The extent of degeneration in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns was classified into mild, moderate and severe types on the basis of stainin for myelins, axons and astrocytes. In Group 1, histopathological findings indicated a difference in severity of degeneration in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns among the three types, while no significant differences were noted in the signals on PD weighted MR images. In Group 2, MTR showed significant differences in the signal intensities in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns (p< 0.01) between the three types, while conventional PD weighted MR images failed to differentiate between them. In conclusion, MT imaging is a sensitive technique to evaluate the histopathological changes in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns that cannot be detected by conventional MR imaging.

Correspondence to Madoka Nakahara, M. D. , Department of Radiology, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8603, Japan

ArticleTitle	Value of magnetization transfer contrast as a sensitive technique to reflect histopathological changes in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns of lateral ventricles
AuthorList	Madoka Nakahara¹⁾ , Hiromitsu Hayashi¹⁾ , Tatsuo Kumazaki¹⁾ and Osamu Mori²⁾
Affiliation	¹⁾ Department of Radiology, Nippon Medical School²⁾ Department of Pathology, Nippon Medical School
Language	EN
Volume	66
Issue	4
Year	1999
Page	245-252
Received	February 17, 1999
Accepted	April 26, 1999
Keywords	magnetization transfer contrast, magnetization transfer ratio, reactive astrocyte
Abstract	The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) as a technique to reflect histopathological changes in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns of the lateral ventricles. Radiological-pathological correlation was performed in six patients who underwent Magnetic Resonance (MR) examination prior to death and in whom postmortem examinations of the brain were obtained. The extent and the severity of degeneration in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns were evaluated histopathologically, and compared with those observed on the conventional proton density ( PD) weighted MR images (Group 1). Changes in the white matter of another 35 patients were classified into three types according to the pattern of high signals adjacent to the frontal horns on conventional PD weighted MR images, and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns was calculated from multi-slice and single-slice FSE images (Group 2). The relationship between signal intensities and MTR in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns was evaluated. The extent of degeneration in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns was classified into mild, moderate and severe types on the basis of stainin for myelins, axons and astrocytes. In Group 1, histopathological findings indicated a difference in severity of degeneration in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns among the three types, while no significant differences were noted in the signals on PD weighted MR images. In Group 2, MTR showed significant differences in the signal intensities in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns (p< 0.01) between the three types, while conventional PD weighted MR images failed to differentiate between them. In conclusion, MT imaging is a sensitive technique to evaluate the histopathological changes in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns that cannot be detected by conventional MR imaging.
Correspondence to	Madoka Nakahara, M. D. , Department of Radiology, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8603, Japan