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Grey and white matter abnormalities in minimal hepatic encephalopathy: a study combining voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics

  • Magnetic Resonance
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Abstract

Objectives

Low-grade cerebral oedema is considered to be pathognomonic of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in cirrhotic patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate both the grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) changes in a homogeneous cohort of patients with MHE by combining voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS).

Methods

Twenty-five MHE patients and 25 healthy controls participated in the study with three-dimensional T1 and diffusion-tensor imaging. Group differences in regional GM volume were assessed using VBM analysis while differences in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) of WM were compared using TBSS analysis.

Results

VBM displayed extensively decreased GM volume in MHE, mainly located in the frontal and temporal cortices, paracentral lobule, caudate, putamen and amygdale, and increased GM volume in the thalamus. TBSS showed decreased FA in MHE patients in the corpus callosum, cingulum, internal/external capsule, corticospinal tract, superior longitudinal fasciculus and posterior corona radiata. Areas of increased MD in MHE patients were more extensive and included, in addition to all the areas of decreased FA, the anterior corona radiata, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, fornix and the middle cerebellar peduncle.

Conclusion

The results suggest that cortical atrophy and low-grade brain oedema in WM co-exist in MHE.

Key Points

• Minimal hepatic encephalopathy develops before major neuropathological destruction occurs.

• Cortical atrophy and low-grade brain oedema of white matter co-exist in MHE.

• Blood ammonia correlates with abnormal WM indices in MHE patients.

• Imaging findings could assist decisions about therapy in patients with cirrhosis.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the grants from the Natural Scientific Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 30700194 and 81230032 for Long Jiang Zhang, Grant No. 81101039 for Gang Zheng), program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (Grant Nos. NCET-12-0260 for Long Jiang Zhang) and Chinese Key Program (Grant Nos. BWS11J063 and 10z026 for Guang Ming Lu).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Clinical School of Medical College, Nanjing University, 305 Zhongshan East Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210002, China

    Rongfeng Qi, Long Jiang Zhang, Zhiqiang Zhang, Chuanjian Xu, Gang Zheng & Guang Ming Lu

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027, China

    Jianhui Zhong

  3. Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Box 648, Rochester, NY, USA

    Tong Zhu

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  1. Rongfeng Qi
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  2. Long Jiang Zhang
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  3. Jianhui Zhong
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  4. Tong Zhu
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  5. Zhiqiang Zhang
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  7. Gang Zheng
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  8. Guang Ming Lu
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Correspondence to Long Jiang Zhang or Guang Ming Lu.

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Qi, R., Zhang, L.J., Zhong, J. et al. Grey and white matter abnormalities in minimal hepatic encephalopathy: a study combining voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics. Eur Radiol 23, 3370–3378 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-013-2963-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-013-2963-2

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