Diffusion-Weighted and Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Fibromyalgia Patients: A Prospective Study of Whole Brain Diffusivity, Apparent Diffusion Coefficient, and Fraction Anisotropy in Different Regions of the Brain and Correlation With Symptom Severity

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Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain condition characterized by widespread pain and tenderness that afflicts 2%–4% of the population in industrialized countries (1). It is the second most common rheumatologic disease after osteoarthritis. Although the underlying pathology, mediating the allodynia and hyperalgesia of FM remains poorly understood, a dysfunction in central neurobiologic structures is suspected. In addition to pain, FM patients often present with other syndromes such as irritable bowel syndrome, idiopathic low back pain, and temporomandibular disease syndrome, suggesting a common underlying pathology across these conditions (2).