Features of MRI in the patients with multiple system atrophy

Abstract

Objective To investigate the features of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)in the brain of patients with multiple system atrophy(MSA)and compare with that in Parkinson Disease(PD).Methods Thirteen patients with MSA-C,12 patients with MSA-P,and 30 patients with Pakinson disease(PD)were retrospectively studied in terms of MRI data.Results The area of the pons in the patients with MSA-C(386.4±74.2)mm2 was significantly smaller than in those with PD(528.5±40.8)mm2,as well as the average of the pons transverse diameter([17.9±1.8]mm in the patients with MSA-C and[20.2±1.4 lnun in PD patients)(t=6.5 and 4.7,Ps 0.05).The average width of middle cerebellar pedncles(MCP)in MSA-C(6.1±1.6)mm and MSA-P(6.5±1.2)mm were smaller than those in PD patients(9.1±1.0)mm(t=6.2 and 7.1,Ps 0.05).In the MRI findings,cerebellar atrophy was the highest sensitive,and cruciform hyperintensity and hyperintensity of MCP followed.The MBI profiles were more specific for hyperintensity of cruciform and MCP than for cerebellar atrophy in MSA-C population.For MSA-P population,MRI was relatively sensitive for hyperintensity of rim of the putamen and putamen,but less specific.Conclusion The assessment of MRI may be useful to diagnose and distinguish MSA from PD. Key words: Multiple system atrophy; Parkinson disease; MRI