Volumetric Alterations Research Articles

Anthropometric Evaluation of Volume of Maxillary Sinus and Nasal Septum Patterns as an AID in Personal Identification Using CBCT-A Retrospective Study

Aims: To determine the reliability and accuracy of maxillary sinus volume and nasal septum patterns in personal identification in forensics using CBCT (cone beam computed tomography).
 Study Design: Retrospective Study
 Place and Duration of Study: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Swargiya Dadasaheb Kalmegh Smruti Dental College and Hospital Nagpur, from September 2019-December 2019.
 Methodology: 110 CBCT scans of bilateral maxillary sinuses and nasal septum images were retrospectively obtained from the Oral Medicine and Radiology database (68 men and 42 females). The study was divided into two groups based on age. Group
 -I consists of 58 CBCT scans taken between the ages of 20 and 40, while Group -II consists of 52 CBCT scans taken between the ages of 41 and 80. The height, breadth, and depth of the maxillary sinus were measured linearly. The nasal septum was classed as simple deviation to the right or left, sigmoid type, reverse sigmoid type, and straight based on the septa's deviations. Each person's combined maxillary sinus and nasal septum pattern was documented.
 Results: The difference in maxillary sinus volume between two age groups was significant (P<0.5). In age group I, there was a substantial change in the left deviation pattern, and there was a significant change in the reverse sigmoid pattern in males and the straight nasal septum pattern in females. With whatever nasal septum configuration, there were no volumetric alterations(P>0.5).
 Conclusion: In future, further research will be needed with a larger number of images to compare in order to arrive at a definitive identification.

Alterations in olfaction‐related brain regions in the ageing population: A structural MRI study

AbstractBackgroundAgeing plays a major role in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Olfactory dysfunction can be an early alteration heralding the presence of a neurodegenerative disorder in ageing. Studying alterations in olfaction‐related brain regions might help detection of neurodegenerative diseases at an earlier stage. Objectives: To assess the volume of olfactory cortex and areas associated with odour processing in different age groups in the cognitively healthy population using high resolution 3D structural MRI scans. To test whether normal ageing determines any volumetric alterations of olfactory cortex, hippocampus and other associated areas and whether there are any differential predictive values of these alterations for neurodegenerative disorders. To determine if atrophy of the olfactory cortex occurs prior to atrophy of the hippocampus and other areas involved in some aspects of odour processing in the healthy population.MethodNeurologically healthy participants were divided based on their age into three age groups: young (20–35 year; n=53), middle‐aged (36‐65 year; n=66) and elderly (66‐85 year; n=95). T1‐ weighted MRI scans acquired at 1.5T were processed using SPM12. Smoothed images were used to extract the volume of olfaction‐related regions including primary olfactory cortex, hippocampus, parahippocampus and amygdala.ResultOne‐way ANOVA analyses showed significant decreases in volume between age groups in all olfaction‐related brain regions (p≤0.0001). Post‐hoc multiple comparisons tests showed that significant differences were found between age groups except in the young vs the middle‐aged where no significant differences were found for hippocampal and amygdala volumes. Pairwise comparisons of groups following ANCOVA showed no significant difference in all olfaction‐related brain regions when controlling for age. Adjusting for education showed significant age‐group differences in olfactory cortex and parahippocampus volumes except for hippocampus in all groups, and for the amygdala for young versus middle‐aged groupsConclusionThese preliminary data showed significant reduction in the volume of olfaction‐related brain regions with ageing, but hippocampus and amygdala appeared to have a more limited volume reduction than primary olfactory cortex and parahippocampus. The results suggest that monitoring of volume of olfaction‐related brain regions in the ageing population may be valuable to detect risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

Volumetric Alterations of the Cerebral Cortex in Eating Disorders.

Eating disorders are relatively frequent psychiatric disorders that can produce serious consequences at the brain level. In an effort to clarify the neurobiological mechanisms of their pathogenesis, some studies have suggested the existence of modifications of the cortical architecture in eating disorders, but it is unknown whether the alterations described are a cause or consequence of eating disorders. The main objective of this systematic review is to collect the evidence available about the volumetric alterations of the cerebral cortex in eating disorders in adults and their apparent relationship with the pathogenesis of the disease. Initially, 91 articles were found by a search that included the terms anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder, gray matter, cortical thickness (CT), and brain volume. To pare down the articles, the following inclusion criteria were applied: (1) cortical thickness and/or gray matter volume (GMV) in patients with anorexia, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder was the main measure of the study; and (2) the sample was adult patients aged 18–65. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) articles that did not analyze cortical thickness or gray matter volume; (2) studies with patients with comorbidities; and (3) studies in patients who did not meet the DSM-IV/DSM-V criteria. In the first phase of selection, we proceeded to read the titles and abstracts as a first screen, thereby excluding 62 studies, followed by a complete critical reading of the 29 remaining articles. In this last phase, nine studies were excluded because they did not specify the eating disorder subtype, they included adolescents, or they did not measure GMV or CT. Finally, after the above systematic selection process, 20 articles were included in this review. Despite the methodological heterogeneity of the studies, there was some agreement between them. They showed an overall reduction in GMV in eating disorders, as well as alterations in certain regions of the cerebral cortex. Some of the most often mentioned cortical areas were the frontal, cingulate, and right orbitofrontal cortices, the precuneus, the right insula, and some temporoparietal gyri in cases of AN, with greater cortical involvement in frontotemporal and medial orbitofrontal regions in BN and binge eating disorder. Likewise, certain cortical regions, such as the left inferior frontal gyrus, the precuneus, the right superior motor area, the cingulate cortex, the insula, and the medial orbitofrontal sulcus, often remained altered after recovery from AN, making them potential cortical areas involved in the etiopathogenesis of AN. A reduction in GMV in specific areas of the CNS can inform us about the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie eating disorders as well as give us a better understanding of their possible consequences at the brain level.

Trends in regional morphological changes in the brain after the resolution of hypercortisolism in Cushing's disease: a complex phenomenon, not mere partial reversibility.

The adverse effects of hypercortisolism on the human brain have been highlighted in previous studies of Cushing’s disease (CD). However, the relative alterations in regional hypercortisolism in the brain remain unclear. Thus, we investigated regional volumetric alterations in CD patients. We also analyzed the associations between these volumetric changes and clinical characteristics. The study participants comprised of active CD (n = 60), short-term-remitted CD (n = 28), and long-term-remitted CD (n = 32) patients as well as healthy control subjects (n = 66). Gray matter volumes (GMVs) were measured via voxel-based morphometry. The GMVs of substructures were defined using the automated anatomical labeling (AAL) atlas. Trends toward normalization in GMV were found in most brain substructures of CD patients. Different trends, including enlarged, irreversible, and unaffected, were observed in the other subregions, such as the amygdala, thalamus, and caudate. Morphological changes in GMVs after the resolution of hypercortisolism are a complex phenomenon; the characteristics of these changes significantly differ within the brain substructures.

Volumetric alterations in subregions of the amygdala in adults with major depressive disorder

BackgroundAlthough major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with volumetric abnormalities in the amygdala, studies investigating the association between structural alterations of the amygdala and depression have yielded varying results. Since the amygdala comprises several subregions, it is difficult to detect subtle regional changes by measuring the total amygdala volume. This study aimed to examine the volume in each amygdala subregion in adults with and without a diagnosis of MDD. MethodsA total of 147 participants with a current history of major depression and 144 healthy participants ranging in age from 19 to 64 years underwent 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Automatic segmentation of the nine nuclei of the amygdala was performed using FreeSurfer. One-way analysis of covariance, with individual volumes as dependent variables, and age, sex, and total intracranial volume as covariates, was performed to analyze volume differences. ResultsPatients with MDD had significantly lower volumes of the entire amygdala and subregions, including the lateral nucleus and anterior amygdaloid area, than healthy volunteers (HCs). There were no significant associations between subregion volumes and antidepressant use, illness duration, or depression severity. LimitationsOur cross-sectional design cannot provide a causal relationship between the volume change in the amygdala subregion and the risk of MDD. ConclusionOur findings suggest that specific amygdala subregions are more susceptible to volumetric alterations in patients with MDD than in HCs. These findings may advance our understanding of the neuroanatomic basis on MDD.

Brain Volumetric Alterations in Preclinical HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder Using Automatic Brain Quantification and Segmentation Tool

PurposeThis study aimed to determine if people living with HIV (PLWH) in preclinical human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), with no clinical symptoms and without decreased daily functioning, suffer from brain volumetric alterations and its patterns.MethodFifty-nine male PLWH at the HAND preclinical stage were evaluated, including 19 subjects with asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI), 17 subjects with cognitive abnormality that does not reach ANI (Not reach ANI), and 23 subjects with cognitive integrity. Moreover, 23 healthy volunteers were set as the seronegative normal controls (NCs). These individuals underwent sagittal three-dimensional T1-weighted imaging (3D T1WI). Quantified data and volumetric measures of brain structures were automatically segmented and extracted using AccuBrain®. In addition, the multiple linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the relationship of volumes of brain structures and clinical variables in preclinical HAND, and the correlations of the brain volume parameters with different cognitive function states were assessed by Pearson’s correlation analysis.ResultsThe significant difference was shown in the relative volumes of the ventricular system, bilateral lateral ventricle, thalamus, caudate, and left parietal lobe gray matter between the preclinical HAND and NCs. Furthermore, the relative volumes of the bilateral thalamus in preclinical HAND were negatively correlated with attention/working memory (left: r = −0.271, p = 0.042; right: r = −0.273, p = 0.040). Higher age was associated with increased relative volumes of the bilateral lateral ventricle and ventricular system and reduced relative volumes of the left thalamus and parietal lobe gray matter. The lower CD4+/CD8+ ratio was associated with increased relative volumes of the left lateral ventricle and ventricular system. Longer disease course was associated with increased relative volumes of the bilateral thalamus. No significant difference was found among preclinical HAND subgroups in all indices, and the difference between the individual groups (Not reach ANI and Cognitive integrity groups) and NCs was also insignificant. However, there was a significant difference between ANI and NCs in the relative volumes of the bilateral caudate and lateral ventricle.ConclusionMale PLWH at the HAND preclinical stage suffer from brain volumetric alterations. AccuBrain® provides potential value in evaluating HIV-related neurocognitive dysfunction.

Impact of maternal hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on brain volumes at term-equivalent age in preterm infants: A voxel-based morphometry study.

Infants born to mothers with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) reportedly have negative behavioral and neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, the effects of maternal HDP on infant brain growth have not been fully evaluated. We aimed to evaluate brain volumes and brain injury in preterm infants born to mothers with HDP using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at term-equivalent age. In this cohort study, MR imaging was performed for 94 preterm infants born before 34weeks of gestation at Nagoya University Hospital between 2010 and 2018. Twenty infants were born to mothers with HDP and 74 to mothers without HDP. Total brain volumes and regional volumetric alterations were assessed by voxel-based morphometry, and brain injury was evaluated using the Kidokoro global brain abnormality score. Developmental quotient was assessed at a corrected age of 1.5years in 59 infants (HDP, n=11; non-HDP, n=48). No significant differences were observed in the gray and white matter volumes of the two groups (HDP: 175±24mL, 137±13mL, respectively; non-HDP: 172±24mL, 142±13mL, respectively). Additionally, no regional volumetric alterations were observed between the two groups after covariate adjustment (gestational age and infant sex). The total Kidokoro score and developmental quotient were similar in both groups. No significant differences in the global and regional brain volumes were observed. Further research is needed to confirm our findings at different time points of MR imaging and in different populations.

Comparison of the expression of the volumetric alteration artifact in cylindrical and triangular fields of view in two cone-beam computed tomography devices.

To compare the expression of the volumetric alteration (VA) artifact between cylindrical and convex triangular fields of view (FOVs) using high-density materials in different positions in two cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) devices. Cylinders of five high-density materials (amalgam, chromium-cobalt, gutta-percha, titanium, and zirconium) with known physical volume were individually submitted to CBCT acquisition in four positions inside a polymethylmethacrylate phantom using two different FOV shapes (convex triangular and cylindrical) on the Veraviewepocs® R100 (R100) and Veraview® X800 (X800) devices. Two oral radiologists obtained the tomographic volumes by segmenting each cylinder. The difference between the tomographic and physical volumes corresponded to the VA. These values were analyzed by intraclass correlation coefficient and analysis of variance for repeated measures with Tukey post hoc test (α = 5%). The FOV influenced the VA only in the X800 device (p = 0.014): the VA in the triangular FOV was greater than in the cylindrical FOV. The VA in the triangular FOV of the X800 device was greater than the R100 device (p < 0.0001). The material influenced the expression of the VA only in the R100 device (p < 0.0001); gutta-percha presented the highest VA, being underestimated, and differing from the other materials (p < 0.01). The triangular FOV increased the VA of high-density materials in the X800 device. It is important to know if there is an influence on the volumetric alteration artifact of dental materials due to the different image formation geometry in the convex triangular FOV.

Sex-specific signatures of intrinsic hippocampal networks and regional integrity underlying cognitive status in multiple sclerosis.

The hippocampus is an anatomically compartmentalized structure embedded in highly wired networks that are essential for cognitive functions. The hippocampal vulnerability has been postulated in acute and chronic neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis, while the patterns of occurring inflammation, neurodegeneration or compensation have not yet been described. Besides focal damage to hippocampal tissue, network disruption is an important contributor to cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis patients. We postulate sex-specific trajectories in hippocampal network reorganization and regional integrity and address their relationship to markers of neuroinflammation, cognitive/memory performance and clinical severity. In a large cohort of multiple sclerosis patients (n = 476; 337 females, age 35 ± 10 years, disease duration 16 ± 14 months) and healthy subjects (n = 110, 54 females; age 34 ± 15 years), we utilized MRI at baseline and at 2-year follow-up to quantify regional hippocampal volumetry and reconstruct single-subject hippocampal networks. Through graph analytical tools we assessed the clustered topology of the hippocampal networks. Mixed-effects analyses served to model sex-based differences in hippocampal network and subfield integrity between multiple sclerosis patients and healthy subjects at both time points and longitudinally. Afterwards, hippocampal network and subfield integrity were related to clinical and radiological variables in dependency of sex attribution. We found a more clustered network architecture in both female and male patients compared to their healthy counterparts. At both time points, female patients displayed a more clustered network topology in comparison to male patients. Over time, multiple sclerosis patients developed an even more clustered network architecture, though with a greater magnitude in females. We detected reduced regional volumes in most of the addressed hippocampal subfields in both female and male patients compared to healthy subjects. Compared to male patients, females displayed lower volumes of para- and presubiculum but higher volumes of the molecular layer. Longitudinally, volumetric alterations were more pronounced in female patients, which showed a more extensive regional tissue loss. Despite a comparable cognitive/memory performance between female and male patients over the follow-up period, we identified a strong interrelation between hippocampal network properties and cognitive/memory performance only in female patients. Our findings evidence a more clustered hippocampal network topology in female patients with a more extensive subfield volume loss over time. A stronger relation between cognitive/memory performance and the network topology in female patients suggests greater entrainment of the brain’s reserve. These results may serve to adapt sex-targeted neuropsychological interventions.

Cortical gray matter structure in boys with Klinefelter syndrome

Klinefelter syndrome (KS, 47,XXY) is a common sex chromosome aneuploidy in males that is associated with a wide range of cognitive, social and emotional characteristics. The neural bases of these symptoms, however, are unclear. Brain structure in 19 pre- or early-pubertal boys with KS (11.5 ± 1.8 years) and 22 typically developing (control) boys (8.1 ± 2.3 years) was examined using surface-based analyses of cortical gray matter volume, thickness and surface area. Boys in the KS group were treatment-naïve with respect to testosterone replacement therapy. Reduced volume in the insula and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex was observed in the KS relative to the TD group, as well as increased volume in the parietal, occipital and motor regions. Further inspection of surface-based metrics indicated that whereas KS-associated increases in volume were driven by differences in thickness, KS-associated reductions in volume were associated with decreases in surface area. Exploratory analyses additionally indicated several correlations between brain structure and behavior, providing initial support for a neural basis of cognitive and emotional symptoms of this condition. Taken together, these data add support for a neuroanatomical phenotype of KS and extend previous studies through clarifying the precise neuroanatomical structural characteristics of that give rise to volumetric alterations.

Imaging 6-Phosphogluconolactonase Activity in Brain Tumors In Vivo Using Hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone.

IntroductionThe pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is essential for NADPH generation and redox homeostasis in cancer, including glioblastomas. However, the precise contribution to redox and tumor proliferation of the second PPP enzyme 6-phosphogluconolactonase (PGLS), which converts 6-phospho-δ-gluconolactone to 6-phosphogluconate (6PG), remains unclear. Furthermore, non-invasive methods of assessing PGLS activity are lacking. The goal of this study was to examine the role of PGLS in glioblastomas and assess the utility of probing PGLS activity using hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone for non-invasive imaging.MethodsTo interrogate the function of PGLS in redox, PGLS expression was silenced in U87, U251 and GS2 glioblastoma cells by RNA interference and levels of NADPH and reduced glutathione (GSH) measured. Clonogenicity assays were used to assess the effect of PGLS silencing on glioblastoma proliferation. Hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone metabolism to 6PG was assessed in live cells treated with the chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide (TMZ) or with vehicle control. 13C 2D echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) studies of hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone metabolism were performed on rats bearing orthotopic glioblastoma tumors or tumor-free controls on a 3T spectrometer. Longitudinal 2D EPSI studies of hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone metabolism and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed in rats bearing orthotopic U251 tumors following treatment with TMZ to examine the ability of hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone to report on treatment response.ResultsPGLS knockdown downregulated NADPH and GSH, elevated oxidative stress and inhibited clonogenicity in all models. Conversely, PGLS expression and activity and steady-state NADPH and GSH were higher in tumor tissues from rats bearing orthotopic glioblastoma xenografts relative to contralateral brain and tumor-free brain. Importantly, [1-13C]6PG production from hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone was observed in live glioblastoma cells and was significantly reduced by treatment with TMZ. Furthermore, hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone metabolism to [1-13C]6PG could differentiate tumor from contralateral normal brain in vivo. Notably, TMZ significantly reduced 6PG production from hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone at an early timepoint prior to volumetric alterations as assessed by anatomical imaging.ConclusionsCollectively, we have, for the first time, identified a role for PGLS activity in glioblastoma proliferation and validated the utility of probing PGLS activity using hyperpolarized δ-[1-13C]gluconolactone for non-invasive in vivo imaging of glioblastomas and their response to therapy.

Selective morphological and volumetric alterations in the hippocampus of children exposed in utero to gestational diabetes mellitus.

Prior epidemiological studies have found that in utero exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. However, brain alterations associated with GDM are not known. The hippocampus is pivotal for cognition and emotional regulation. Therefore, we assessed relationships between in utero exposure to GDM and hippocampal morphology and subfield structure during childhood. One hundred seventeen children aged 7–11 years (57% girls, 57% exposed to GDM), born at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, participated in the BrainChild Study. Maternal GDM status was determined from electronic medical records. Children underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. Freesurfer 6.0 was used to measure hippocampal and individual hippocampal subfield gray matter volume (mm3). Morphological analyses on the hippocampal surface were carried out using shape analysis. GDM‐exposed children exhibited reduced radial thickness in a small, spatially‐restricted portion of the left inferior body of the hippocampus that corresponds to the CA1 subfield. There was a significant interaction between GDM‐exposure and sex on the right hippocampal CA1 subfield. GDM‐exposed boys had reduced right CA1 volume compared to unexposed boys, but this association was no longer significant after controlling for age. No significant group differences were observed in girls. Our results suggest that GDM‐exposure impacts shape of the left hippocampal CA1 subfield in both boys and girls and may reduce volume of right hippocampal CA1 only in boys. These in‐depth findings illuminate the unique properties of the hippocampus impacted by prenatal GDM‐exposure and could have important implications for hippocampal‐related functions.

Alterations in hippocampal subfield volumes among schizophrenia patients, their first-degree relatives and healthy subjects

Reduced hippocampal volumes feature prominently in schizophrenia patients (SCZ). Although several studies have investigated hippocampal volume alterations between unaffected first-degree relatives (FR) of SCZ and healthy controls (HC), the results were inconsistent. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether FR have specific alterations in hippocampal subfield volumes. Three-Tesla T1-weighted MP-RAGE brain scans were collected from 347 subjects (138 SCZ, 47 FR and 162 HC) and processed using the hippocampal subfields algorithm in FreeSurfer v6.0. We investigated volumetric differences in the twelve hippocampal subfields bilaterally among SCZ, FR and HC. SCZ displayed bilateral reductions in whole hippocampal volume compared with FR and HC. The hippocampal volumes of FR did not differ from those of HC but exceeded those observed in SCZ. We found volumetric differences in specific hippocampal subfields, including the CA1, hippocampal fissure, presubiculum, molecular layer, fimbria and hippocampal-amygdala transitional area, among diagnostic groups. These alterations arose from differences in the hippocampal subfield volumes between SCZ and the other two diagnostic groups. However, right hippocampal fissure volumes linearly increased among the groups. In contrast, no significant volumetric differences were found in other hippocampal subfields between HC and FR. There were no significant intergroup differences in laterality in any hippocampal subfield volumes and no significant correlations between hippocampal subfield volumes and illness duration, psychiatric symptoms, antipsychotics or premorbid IQ in SCZ. Our findings suggest that volumetric alterations in hippocampal subfields (except the hippocampal fissure) in SCZ could be stable phenomena that are present at illness onset and minimally affected by antipsychotics.

Atrophic Pattern of Hippocampal Subfields in Post-Stroke Demented Patient.

Previous studies have demonstrated that hippocampal atrophy is a hallmark of dementia and can be used to predict the outcome of post-stroke demented (PSD) patients. The hippocampus consists of several subfields but their involvement in the pathophysiology of the PSD remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate volumetric alterations of hippocampal subfields in patients with PSD. High-resolution T1-weighted images were collected from 27 PSD and 28 post-stroke nondemented (PSND) patients who recovered from ischemic stroke, and 17 age-matched normal control (NC). We estimated the volumes of the hippocampal subfields using FreeSurfer 6.0 which segmented the hippocampus into 12 subfields in each hemisphere. The volumetric differences between the groups were evaluated by the two-sample tests after regressing out the age, sex, education, and total intracranial volume. Compared with NC group, PSD group showed smaller volumes in the entire hippocampus and its subfields, and such differences were not found in PSND group. Moreover, we found the dementia-specific atrophy in the left granule cell layer of dentate gyrus (GC-DG) and CA4 in the PSD patients compared with NC and PSND. Regression analysis showed positive correlations between the changes of cognitive performance and the asymmetry index in the CA3/4 and GC-DG of the PSD group. Furthermore, we found that the volumes of hippocampal subfields provided a better classification performance than the entire hippocampus. Our findings suggest that the hippocampus is reduced in the PSD patients and it presents a selective subfield involvement.

Temporal and extratemporal atrophic manifestation of temporal lobe epilepsy using voxel-based morphometry and corticometry: clinical application in lateralization of epileptogenic zone.

Advances in MRI acquisition and data processing have become important for revealing brain structural changes. Previous studies have reported widespread structural brain abnormalities and cortical thinning in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), as the most common form of focal epilepsy. In this research, healthy control cases (n = 20) and patients with left TLE (n = 19) and right TLE (n = 14) were recruited, all underwent 3.0T MRI with magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo sequence to acquire T1-weighted images. Morphometric alterations in gray matter were identified using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Volumetric alterations in subcortical structures and cortical thinning were also determined. Patients with left TLE demonstrated more prevailing and widespread changes in subcortical volumes and cortical thickness than right TLE, mainly in the left hemisphere, compared to the healthy group. Both VBM analysis and subcortical volumetry detected significant hippocampal atrophy in ipsilateral compared to contralateral side in TLE group. In addition to hippocampus, subcortical volumetry found the thalamus and pallidum bilaterally vulnerable to the TLE. Furthermore, the TLE patients underwent cortical thinning beyond the temporal lobe, affecting gray matter cortices in frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes in the majority of patients, more prevalently for left TLE cases. Exploiting volume changes in individual patients in the hippocampus alone led to 63.6% sensitivity and 100% specificity for lateralization of TLE. Alteration of gray matter volumes in subcortical regions and neocortical temporal structures and also cortical gray matter thickness were evidenced as common effects of epileptogenicity, as manifested by the majority of cases in this study.

Detection of radiotherapy-related damage in head and neck cancer patients by evaluating volumetric changes in lacrimal gland, nasolacrimal duct and computed tomography attenuation changes in lens

In our study, we aimed to evaluate the change in attenuation of lens in CT images, volumetric changes, in lacrimal gland (LG) and nasolacrimal duct (NLD) of the patients receiving radiotherapy for brain or head & neck tumor. Additionally, the correlation between these changes and radiation dose data were investigated. Patient simulation CT images and control CT images were used to evaluate the volume and attenuation changes. Pre- and post-treatment MR and CT images were used to evaluate radiation-induced volumetric alterations in NLD and LG, respectively. Radiation therapy was given to a total dose of 54-70Gy with conventional fractionated scheme using intensity-modulated radiotherapy technique (IMRT). Dose volume parameters were evaluated via dose volume histograms (DVHs). Dose volume parameters, volume and densities of 59 lenses (L), 60 LG and 60 NLD of 30 patients were retrospectively assessed. The median LG volume was significantly lower in the post-treatment images (p < 0.001), whereas the median volumes of NLD in pre- and post-RT images were similar. The Hounsfield unit (HU) numbers of lenses were significantly lower on post-RT CT images (p < 0.001). No statistically significant correlation was found between dose parameters and volume or HU changes (p = 0.054-0.817). It was observed that the attenuation of lenses and lacrimal gland volume significantly lowers following radiation. However, these alterations were not found to be correlated with dose.

Potential structural trait markers of depression in the form of alterations in the structures of subcortical nuclei and structural covariance network properties

It has been proposed recently that major depressive disorder (MDD) could represent an adaptation to conserve energy after the perceived loss of an investment in a vital source, such as group identity, personal assets, or relationships. Energy conserving behaviors associated with MDD may form a persistent marker in brain regions and networks involved in cognition and emotion regulation. In this study, we examined whether subcortical regions and volume-based structural covariance networks (SCNs) have state-independent alterations (trait markers).First-episode drug-naïve currently depressed (cMDD) patients (N = 131), remitted MDD (RD) patients (N = 67), and healthy controls (HCs, N = 235) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Subcortical gray matter volumes (GMVs) were calculated in FreeSurfer software, and group differences in GMVs and SCN were analyzed.Compared to HCs, major findings were decreased GMVs of left pallidum and pulvinar anterior of thalamus in the cMDD and RD groups, indicative of a trait marker. Relative to HCs, subcortical SCNs of both cMDD and RD patients were found to have reduced small-world-ness and path length, which together may represent a trait-like topological feature of depression.In sum, the left pallidum, left pulvinar anterior of thalamus volumetric alterations may represent trait marker and reduced small-world-ness, path length may represent trait-like topological feature of MDD.

Alterations of Cognition and Cerebral Ventricle Volume in Manic and Euthymic Pediatric Bipolar Disorder.

Introduction: It remains unknown whether volumetric alterations of ventricles are similar or not in pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) among different mood states. The present study aims to estimate ventricular volumetric alteration of PBD patients in manic and euthymic status, as well as the relationship between this alteration and cognitive changes.Methods: T1 magnetic resonance images were obtained from 20 manic PBD patients, 21 euthymic PBD patients, and 19 healthy controls (HCs). Ventricular volumes were automatically obtained via FreeSurfer 6.0 software. Ventricular volumes and cognitive indices were compared among the three groups, and the relationship between ventricular volumes and cognitive/clinical indices was analyzed.Results: In contrast to HCs, manic and euthymic PBD patients exhibited decreased cognitive scores of the Stroop color-word test and the digit span subtest. Manic PBD subjects presented enlarged volumes in the bilateral ventricles, third ventricle, and whole ventricles, and euthymic PBD participants displayed increased volumes in the third ventricle, fourth ventricle, and whole ventricles. No significant differences in cognitive performance and ventricular volumes were found between PBD groups. No significant correlation was discovered between ventricular volumes and cognitive/clinical indices in both manic and euthymic PBD patients.Conclusions: No significant differences in cognitive performance and ventricle volume were observed between euthymic and manic PBD groups, which may imply that the alterations are not specific to mood state. It may indicate structural and functional damage of corresponding brain circuits in euthymic PBD patients similar with that of manic PBD, which may provide clues to the diagnosis and treatment of euthymic PBD.

Volumetric, shape and microstructural alterations of the hippocampal subfields in healthy aging

AbstractBackgroundAlthough several volumetric studies have attempted to examine the relationship between hippocampal subfields and age, their findings are heterogenous. Here, in addition to typical volumetric measures, we investigated age‐related alterations of hippocampal subfield shape and microstructure.MethodThe present work included 161 healthy participants (ages 18‐81) recruited as part of two local datasets. Standard T1‐weighted (T1w; MPRAGE sequence, 1 mm3 voxels) and high‐resolution T2‐weighted (T2w, 0.64 mm3 voxels) magnetic resonance images were acquired. The minc‐bpipe‐library pipeline (https://github.com/CobraLab/minc‐bpipe‐library) was used to preprocess images. The MAGeT‐Brain algorithm (Pipitone et al., 2014) was utilized for segmentation of the hippocampal subfields (Amaral et al., 2016). The volume and shape (i.e. surface area [SA] and displacement) of the grey matter (GM) subfields (i.e. Cornus Ammonis [CA]1, CA2CA3, CA4 and dentate gyrus [CA4DG], stratum radiatum/lacunosum/moleculare and subiculum) and the volume of associated white matter (WM) regions (i.e. fimbria, fornix, alveus and mammillary bodies [MB]) were estimated using T1w images. Mean T1w/T2w signal intensity ratio (Glasser &amp; Van Essen, 2011) of each subfield was calculated to examine microstructural alterations sensitive to myelin. Linear‐mixed effects models and Akaike information criterion were used to select the most appropriate age relationships from multiple fits (i.e. linear, quadratic, and cubic) for each structure of interest. Sex and ipsilateral hippocampal GM or WM volume were included as covariates. Statistical analyses were performed in R 3.5.0; comparisons surviving p&lt;0.05 (Bonferroni‐corrected) were reported.ResultRight CA1 and alveus volumes were positively cubically related to age and bilateral CA4DG volumes were negatively linearly related to age. T1w/T2w intensity linearly decreased with age for all subregions except for bilateral fornix and MB, which expressed quadratic evolution with age (Figures 1‐2). Age was also inversely related to bilateral SA reduction in the head and medial‐posterior hippocampus, and lateral outward and medial inward displacement (Figure 3).ConclusionThe current work suggests that certain subfields of the hippocampus are more (e.g. CA1) or less (e.g. CA4DG) preserved in healthy aging. These differences do not appear to be explained by microstructural variation.

Assessment of renal volume by 3D VOCAL Ultrasonography method in late-onset growth-restricted fetuses with normal amniotic fluid index.

The aim of this study was to study renal volumetric alterations and renal artery doppler changes in late-onset fetal growth restricted (FGR) fetuses with normal amniotic fluid compared to healthy pregnancies. This prospective study was composed of pregnant women with late-onset FGR and a control group of uncomplicated pregnancies within 32-37 weeks of gestation. Following the assessment of umbilical, bilateral uterine, middle cerebral using Doppler Ultrasonography (US), three dimensional (3D) US Virtual Organ Computer-aided Analysis (VOCAL) was executed to calculate bilateral renal volumes. A total of 76 fetuses with FGR and 51 healthy fetuses (control group) were evaluated. Umbilical artery Doppler systole/diastole and Pulsatility index values were found to be significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Middle cerebral, bilateral uterine, and bilateral renal arteries' Doppler indices revealed no difference between the two groups. Right, left, and mean renal volume of the fetuses with FGR were smaller than the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (p = 0.025, p = 0.004, p = 0.004, respectively). Left renal volume was significantly greater than the right renal volume in the control group (p = 0.009). Although not accompanied by oligohydramnios, and having similar renal vascular resistance as the control group, renal volumes of fetuses with late-onset FGR were still observed lower than the control group. This difference was explained by not decreased blood flow via redistribution but other mechanisms like glomeruli reduction and glomerular apoptosis.