Diffusional Kurtosis Imaging in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: Correlation with Severity of Cognitive Impairment

Lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase: a glymphopathy marker in idiopathic hydrocephalus

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus in elderly people is considered a form of glymphopathy caused by malfunction of the waste clearance pathway, called the glymphatic system. Tau is a representative waste material similar to amyloid-β. During neurodegeneration, lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS), a major cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein, is reported to act as a chaperone that prevents the neurotoxic aggregation of amyloid-β. L-PGDS is also a CSF biomarker in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus and significantly correlates with tau concentration, age, and age-related brain white matter changes detected by magnetic resonance imaging. To investigate this glymphopathy, we aimed to analyze white matter changes and contributing factors in vivo and their interactions ex vivo. Cerebrospinal tap tests were performed in 60 patients referred for symptomatic ventriculomegaly. Patients were evaluated using an idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus grading scale, mini-mental state examination, frontal assessment battery, and timed up-and-go test. The typical morphological features of high convexity tightness and ventriculomegaly were measured using the callosal angle and Evans index, and parenchymal white matter properties were evaluated with diffusion tensor imaging followed by tract-based spatial statistics. Levels of CSF biomarkers, including tau, amyloid-β, and L-PGDS, were determined by ELISA, and their interaction, and localization were determined using immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemical analyses. Tract-based spatial statistics for fractional anisotropy revealed clusters that positively correlated with mini-mental state examination, frontal assessment battery, and callosal angle, and clusters that negatively correlated with age, disease duration, idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus grading scale, Evans index, and L-PGDS. Other parameters also indicated clusters that correlated with symptoms, microstructural white matter changes, and L-PGDS. Tau co-precipitated with L-PGDS, and colocalization was confirmed in postmortem specimens of neurodegenerative disease obtained from the human Brain Bank. Our study supports the diagnostic value of L-PGDS as a surrogate marker for white matter integrity in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus. These results increase our understanding of the molecular players in the glymphatic system. Moreover, this study indicates the potential utility of enhancing endogenous protective factors to maintain brain homeostasis.

Assessing white matter microstructural changes in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus using voxel-based R2* relaxometry analysis

Background

R2* relaxometry and quantitative susceptibility mapping can be combined to distinguish between microstructural changes and iron deposition in white matter. Here, we aimed to explore microstructural changes in the white matter associated with clinical presentations such as cognitive impairment in patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) using R2* relaxometry analysis in combination with quantitative susceptibility mapping.

Methods

We evaluated 16 patients clinically diagnosed with possible or probable iNPH and 18 matched healthy controls (HC) who were chosen based on similarity in age and sex. R2* and quantitative susceptibility mapping were compared using voxel-wise and atlas-based one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Finally, partial correlation analyses were performed to assess the relationship between R2* and clinical presentations.

Results

R2* was lower in some white matter regions, including the bilateral superior longitudinal fascicle and sagittal stratum, in the iNPH group compared to the HC group. The voxel-based quantitative susceptibility mapping results did not differ between the groups. The atlas-based group comparisons yielded negative mean susceptibility values in almost all brain regions, indicating no clear paramagnetic iron deposition in the white matter of any subject. R2* and cognitive performance scores between the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and right sagittal stratum (SS) were positively correlated. In addition to that, R2* and gait disturbance scores between left SS were negatively correlated.

Conclusion

Our analysis highlights the microstructural changes without iron deposition in the SLF and SS, and their association with cognitive impairment and gait disturbance in patients with iNPH.

Cognitive Impairment in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a significant cause of the severe cognitive decline in the elderly population. There is no cure for iNPH, but cognitive symptoms can be partially alleviated through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion. In the early stages of iNPH, cognitive deficits occur primarily in the executive functions and working memory supported by frontostriatal circuits. As the disease progresses, cognition declines continuously and globally, leading to poor quality of life and daily functioning. In this review, we present recent advances in understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of cognitive impairment in iNPH, focusing on (1) abnormal CSF dynamics, (2) dysfunction of frontostriatal and entorhinal-hippocampal circuits and the default mode network, (3) abnormal neuromodulation, and (4) the presence of amyloid-β and tau pathologies.

Update on the Cognitive Presentations of iNPH for Clinicians

This mini-review focuses on cognitive impairment in iNPH. This symptom is one of the characteristic triad of symptoms in a condition long considered to be the only treatable dementia. We present an update on recent developments in clinical, neuropsychological, neuroimaging and biomarker aspects. Significant advances in our understanding have been made, notably regarding biomarkers, but iNPH remains a difficult diagnosis. Stronger evidence for permanent surgical treatment is emerging but selection for treatment remains challenging, particularly with regards to cognitive presentations. Encouragingly, there has been increasing interest in iNPH, but more research is required to better define the underlying pathology and delineate it from overlapping conditions, in order to inform best practise for the clinician managing the cognitively impaired patient. In the meantime, we strongly encourage a multidisciplinary approach and a structured service pathway to maximise patient benefit.

Widespread White Matter Microstructure Alterations Based on Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging in Patients With Pontine Infarction

Neurological deficits after stroke are closely related to white matter microstructure damage. However, secondary changes in white matter microstructure after pontine infarction (PI) in the whole brain remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the correlation of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI)-derived diffusion and kurtosis parameters of abnormal white matter tracts with behavioral function in patients with chronic PI. Overall, 60 patients with unilateral chronic PI (33 patients with left PI and 27 patients with right PI) and 30 normal subjects were recruited and underwent DKI scans. Diffusion parameters derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and DKI and kurtosis parameters derived from DKI were obtained. Between-group differences in multiple parameters were analyzed to assess the changes in abnormal white matter microstructure. Moreover, we also calculated the sensitivities of different diffusion and kurtosis parameters of DTI and DKI for identifying abnormal white matter tracts. Correlations between the DKI-derived parameters in secondary microstructure changes and behavioral scores in the PI were analyzed. Compared with the NC group, both left PI and right PI groups showed more extensive perilesional and remote white matter microstructure changes. The DKI-derived diffusion parameters showed higher sensitivities than did the DTI-derived parameters. Further, DKI-derived diffusion and kurtosis parameters in abnormal white matter regions were correlated with impaired motor and cognitive function in patients with PI. In conclusion, PI could lead to extensive white matter tracts impairment in perilesional and remote regions. Further, the diffusion and kurtosis parameters could be complementary for identifying comprehensive tissue microstructural damage after PI.

Microstructural white matter alterations in Alzheimer's disease and amnestic mild cognitive impairment and its diagnostic value based on diffusion kurtosis imaging: a tract-based spatial statistics study

This prospective study aimed to explore the white matter microstructural alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) using the Tract-based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) method of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI).Diffusion images were collected from 45 AD patients, 42 aMCI patients, and 35 healthy controls (HC). The differences of DKI-derived parameters, including kurtosis fractional anisotropy (KFA), mean kurtosis (MK), fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD), were compared across the three groups using the TBSS method. Correlation between the altered DKI-derived parameters and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores were analyzed. A receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of different white matter parameters with the strongest correlations. As a result, compared with the HC group, KFA values decreased significantly in the aMCI group. Compared with both the HC and aMCI groups, the FA, KFA, and MK values decreased significantly and the MD value increased significantly in the AD group. FA, MD, KFA, and MK values of many white matter fiber tracts were significantly correlated with MMSE and MoCA scores. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the splenium of corpus callosum KFA values were highest for the diagnosis of aMCI and AD patients. In conclusion, the compactness and complexity of white matter microstructures were reduced in AD and aMCI patients. DKI can provide information about the severity of AD progression, and KFA might be more sensitive for the detection of white matter microstructural alterations.

The role of diffusion tensor imaging in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: A literature review

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a syndrome that comprises a triad of gait disturbance, dementia and urinary incontinence, associated with ventriculomegaly in the absence of elevated intraventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure. It is important to identify patients with iNPH because some of its clinical features may be reversed by the insertion of a CSF shunt. The diagnosis is based on clinical history, physical examination and brain imaging, especially magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Recently, some papers have investigated the role of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in evaluating white matter alterations in patients with iNPH. DTI analysis in specific anatomical regions seems to be a promising MR biomarker of iNPH and could also be used in the differential diagnosis from other dementias. However, there is a substantial lack of structured reviews on this topic. Thus, we performed a literature search and analyzed the most recent and pivotal articles that investigated the role of DTI in iNPH in order to provide an up-to-date overview of the application of DTI in this setting. We reviewed studies published between January 2000 and June 2020. Thirty-eight studies and four reviews were included. Despite heterogeneity in analysis approaches, the majority of studies reported significant correlations between DTI and clinical symptoms in iNPH patients, as well as different DTI patterns in patients with iNPH compared to those with Alzheimer or Parkinson diseases. It remains to be determined whether DTI could predict the success after CSF shunting.

Guidelines for Management of Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (Third Edition): Endorsed by the Japanese Society of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

Among the various disorders that manifest with gait disturbance, cognitive impairment, and urinary incontinence in the elderly population, idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is becoming of great importance. The first edition of these guidelines for management of iNPH was published in 2004, and the second edition in 2012, to provide a series of timely, evidence-based recommendations related to iNPH. Since the last edition, clinical awareness of iNPH has risen dramatically, and clinical and basic research efforts on iNPH have increased significantly. This third edition of the guidelines was made to share these ideas with the international community and to promote international research on iNPH. The revision of the guidelines was undertaken by a multidisciplinary expert working group of the Japanese Society of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus in conjunction with the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare research project. This revision proposes a new classification for NPH. The category of iNPH is clearly distinguished from NPH with congenital/developmental and acquired etiologies. Additionally, the essential role of disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid-space hydrocephalus (DESH) in the imaging diagnosis and decision for further management of iNPH is discussed in this edition. We created an algorithm for diagnosis and decision for shunt management. Diagnosis by biomarkers that distinguish prognosis has been also initiated. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment of iNPH have entered a new phase. We hope that this third edition of the guidelines will help patients, their families, and healthcare professionals involved in treating iNPH.

Neural circuits of idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: A perspective review of brain connectivity and symptoms meta-analysis

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a prevalent reversible neurological disorder characterized by impaired locomotion, cognition and urinary control with ventriculomegaly. Symptoms can be relieved with cerebrospinal fluid drainage, which makes iNPH the leading cause of reversible dementia. Because of a limited understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms, unspecific symptoms and the high prevalence of comorbidity (i.e. Alzheimer's disease), iNPH is largely underdiagnosed. For these reasons, there is an urgent need for developing noninvasive quantitative biomarkers for iNPH diagnosis and prognosis. Structural and functional changes of brain circuits in relation to symptoms and treatment response are expected to deliver major advances in this direction. We review structural and functional brain connectivity findings in iNPH and complement those findings with iNPH symptom meta-analyses in healthy populations. Our goal is to reinforce our conceptualization of iNPH as to brain network mechanisms and foster the development of new hypotheses for future research and treatment options.

Altered white matter microstructure in patients with post-stroke depression detected by diffusion kurtosis imaging

The aim of our study is to determine the pathological changes of white matter microstructure in patients with early post-stroke depression (PSD), and to investigate the association between white matter integrity examined by diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and early PSD. Thirty-eight patients with acute cerebral infarction were selected, including 17 patients with depression (PSD group), and 21 patients without depression (N-PSD group). In addition, 20 normal healthy controls (NORM group) were selected. All were taken DKI scans. The white matter of the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, anterior limb of internal capsule, and posterior limb of internal capsule, in addition to the genu of corpus callosum and splenium of corpus callosum was selected as a region of interest (ROI). Selected parameters include fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean kurtosis (MK). Compared with N-PSD group and NORM group, FA value of the left frontal lobe and MK value of the bilateral frontal lobe, bilateral temporal lobe, and genu of corpus callosum in PSD group were decreased (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that the early PSD patients had white matter microstructure abnormalities in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and genu of corpus callosum. DKI provides a comprehensive brain imaging reference for detecting early microstructural damage of white matter in PSD patients, which can be used as an imaging biomarker to detect early PSD and its progression potentially.

Ventricular volumetry and free-water corrected diffusion tensor imaging of the anterior thalamic radiation in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The pathophysiology of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) has not been completely clarified. We investigated the brain structure in iNPH using automatic ventricular volumetry, single-tensor diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and bi-tensor free-water (FW) imaging analyses while focusing on cognitive impairments before and after lumboperitoneal shunt surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 12 iNPH patients with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion MRI (dMRI) on a 3T-MRI scanner who underwent neuropsychological assessments before and after shunting and 8 healthy controls. Ventricular volumetry was conducted on structural MRI datasets using FreeSurfer. Ventricular volume was compared pre- and postoperatively. Correlation analyses were performed between ventricular volume or volume change and neuropsychological scores or score change. Tract-based spatial statistics were performed using dMRI datasets for group analyses between iNPH and controls and between pre- and post-surgery iNPH patients and for correlation analyses using neuropsychological scores. Tract-specific analyses were performed in the anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), followed by comparison and correlation analyses.

RESULTS

The third ventricular volume was significantly decreased after shunting; its volume reduction negatively correlated with a neuropsychological improvement. Compared with controls, iNPH patients had lower fractional anisotropy and higher axial, radial, and mean diffusivities, and FW in the periventricular white matter including ATR, resulting in no difference in FW-corrected indices. Single-tensor DTI indices partially correlated with neuropsychological improvements, while FW-corrected indices had no correlations.

CONCLUSION

Third ventricle enlargement is possibly linked to cognitive impairment and FW imaging possibly provides better white matter characterization in iNPH.

Abnormalities of diffusional kurtosis imaging and regional homogeneity in idiopathic generalized epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizures

Neuroimaging techniques have been used to investigate idiopathic generalized epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizures (IGE-GTCS) and different studies employing these methods have produced varying results. However, there have been few studies exploring diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) techniques in patients with IGE-GTCS. In the current study, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and DKI data were collected from 28 patients with IGE-GTCS and 28 healthy controls. The ReHo method and tract-based spatial statistical (TBSS) analysis were performed to compare differences between the groups. Compared with healthy controls, patients with IGE-GTCS exhibited markedly increased ReHo in the bilateral putamen, the thalamus, right pallidum, right supplementary motor area and the bilateral paracentral lobules. Compared with healthy controls, patients with IGE-GTCS also exhibited markedly decreased ReHo in the posterior cingulate/precuneus, left angular gyrus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In patients with IGE-GTCS, DKI revealed lower fractional anisotropy in the left anterior/superior corona radiata, left superior longitudinal fasciculus and genu/body of the corpus callosum. Higher mean diffusivity was detected in the bilateral anterior corona radiata, left superior corona radiata, left cingulum, and genu/body/splenium of the corpus callosum. Furthermore, reduced mean kurtosis values were identified over the bilateral superior/posterior corona radiate, left anterior corona radiata, right superior longitudinal fasciculus, left posterior thalamic radiation and the genu/body/splenium of the corpus callosum. Therefore, the results of the current study revealed abnormalities in spontaneous activity in the gray and white matter tracts in patients with IGE-GTCS. These results suggest that novel MRI technology may be useful to help determine the pathogenesis of IGE-GTCS.

Diffusional Kurtosis along the Corticospinal Tract in Adult Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is a reversible form of dementia characterized by enlarged ventricles, which can deform and cause disruptions to adjacent white matter fibers. The purpose of this work was to examine how diffusion and kurtosis parameters vary along the corticospinal tract and determine where along this path microstructure is compromised in patients diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus. We hypothesized that disruption of the corticospinal tract from ventricular enlargement can be measured using diffusion MR imaging and this will be quantified in periventricular regions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We developed a method to analyze diffusion parameters at discrete points along neural tracts. We then used diffusion MR imaging data from patients with Alzheimer disease and healthy controls to compare whether diffusion along the corticospinal tract differs from that of patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus.

RESULTS

We found that diffusion parameters can differentiate patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus from those with Alzheimer disease and healthy controls: Axial diffusion, axial kurtosis, and the axonal water fraction were found to differ significantly across groups (P < .05) in an area located close to the superior internal capsule and corona radiata but below the cortex.

CONCLUSIONS

A lower axonal water fraction indicates a lower axonal density in the corticospinal tract, which may indicate permanent damage. Lower axial kurtosis may imply that axons are being more aligned due to compression.

The Relationship between Neurite Density Measured with Confocal Microscopy in a Cleared Mouse Brain and Metrics Obtained from Diffusion Tensor and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging

Purpose:

Diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) enables sensitive measurement of tissue microstructure by quantifying the non-Gaussian diffusion of water. Although DKI is widely applied in many situations, histological correlation with DKI analysis is lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between DKI metrics and neurite density measured using confocal microscopy of a cleared mouse brain.

Methods:

One thy-1 yellow fluorescent protein 16 mouse was deeply anesthetized and perfusion fixation was performed. The brain was carefully dissected out and whole-brain MRI was performed using a 7T animal MRI system. DKI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were obtained. After the MRI scan, brain sections were prepared and then cleared using aminoalcohols (CUBIC). Confocal microscopy was performed using a two-photon confocal microscope with a laser. Forty-eight ROIs were set on the caudate putamen, seven ROIs on the anterior commissure, and seven ROIs on the ventral hippocampal commissure on the confocal microscopic image and a corresponding MR image. In each ROI, histological neurite density and the metrics of DKI and DTI were calculated. The correlations between diffusion metrics and neurite density were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient analysis.

Results:

Mean kurtosis (MK) (P = 5.2 × 10⁻⁹, r = 0.73) and radial kurtosis (P = 2.3 × 10⁻⁹, r = 0.74) strongly correlated with neurite density in the caudate putamen. The correlation between fractional anisotropy (FA) and neurite density was moderate (P = 0.0030, r = 0.42). In the anterior commissure and the ventral hippocampal commissure, neurite density and FA are very strongly correlated (P = 1.3 × 10⁻⁵, r = 0.90). MK in these areas were very high value and showed no significant correlation (P = 0.48).

Conclusion:

DKI accurately reflected neurite density in the area with crossing fibers, potentially allowing evaluation of complex microstructures.

Application of non-Gaussian water diffusional kurtosis imaging in the assessment of uterine tumors: A preliminary study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the interobserver reliability and value of diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) in the assessment of uterine tumors compared with those of conventional diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

METHODS

This retrospective study was approved by our institutional review board, which waived the requirement for informed consent. Fifty-eight women (mean age: 55.0 ± 13.6 years; range: 30-89 years) with suspected malignant uterine tumors underwent 3-T magnetic resonance imaging using DKI and DWI. Twelve had coexisting leiomyoma. Two observers analyzed region-of-interest measurements of diffusivity (D), kurtosis (K), and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of uterine lesions and healthy adjacent tissues. Interobserver agreement was evaluated using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). The mean values were compared using one-way analysis of variance with a post-hoc Tukey's honestly significant difference test. The diagnostic accuracy of D and ADC in differentiating malignant tumors from benign leiomyomas was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

RESULTS

The ICCs between the two observers in evaluating D, K, and the ADC of the malignant tumors were higher than 0.84, suggesting excellent interobserver agreements. The mean D (×10-3 mm2/s) of uterine cancers (1.05 ± 0.41 and 1.09 ± 0.40 for observers 1 and 2, respectively) were significantly lower than those of leiomyoma (1.40 ± 0.37 and 1.56 ± 0.33, respectively; P < 0.05), healthy myometrium (1.72 ± 0.27 and 1.69 ± 0.30, respectively; P < 0.001), and healthy endometrium (1.53 ± 0.35 and 1.42 ± 0.37, respectively; P < 0.005). There was no significant difference in the area under the ROC curve between D and ADC. The mean K of uterine cancers (0.88 ± 0.28 and 0.90 ± 0.23, respectively) were higher than those of myometrium (0.72 ± 0.10 and 0.73 ± 0.10, respectively; P < 0.001), healthy endometrium (0.65 ± 0.13 and 0.60 ± 0.18, respectively; P < 0.001), and leiomyoma (0.76 ± 0.14 and 0.77 ± 0.16, respectively; not significant, P > 0.1).

CONCLUSIONS

Interobserver agreements in evaluating D, K, and ADC were moderate to excellent. D performed equally to conventional DWI in differentiating between benign and malignant uterine lesions. The mean K of malignant uterine lesions was significantly higher than that of non-tumorous myometrium or endometrium.

Advanced imaging techniques in the therapeutic response of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic liver disease. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) can significantly improve the survival rate of patients with HCC and is the first treatment choice for patients who are not suitable for surgical resections. The evaluation of the response to TACE treatment affects not only the assessment of the therapy efficacy but also the development of the next step in the treatment plan. The use of imaging to examine changes in tumor volume to assess the response of solid tumors to treatment has been controversial. In recent years, the emergence of new imaging technology has made it possible to observe the response of tumors to treatment prior to any morphological changes. In this article, the advances in studies reporting the use of computed tomography perfusion imaging, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), intravoxel incoherent motion, diffusion kurtosis imaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, magnetic resonance perfusion-weighted imaging, blood oxygen level-dependent MRI, positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography and PET/MRI to assess the TACE treatment response are reviewed.