Cited by 438Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and ApplicationsAcute Ischemic Stroke ManagementStroke Rehabilitation and Recovery

Diffusion tensor imaging detects early Wallerian degeneration of the pyramidal tract after ischemic stroke

Thomalla, Götz, Glauche, Volkmar, Koch, Martin A, Beaulieu, Christian, Weiller, Cornelius, Röther, Joachim·2004·NeuroImage

Abstract

We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to assess Wallerian degeneration of the pyramidal tract within the first 2 weeks after ischemic stroke, and correlated the extent of Wallerian degeneration with the motor deficit. Nine patients with middle cerebral artery stroke were examined 2-16 days after stroke by DTI and T2-weighted MRI. We measured fractional anisotropy (FA), averaged diffusivity (Dav), eigenvalues of the diffusion tensor and T2-weighted signal in the cerebral peduncle and compared these values between the affected and the unaffected side and between patients and six controls. FA was significantly reduced on the affected side compared to the unaffected side and compared to the control group. The largest eigenvalue was reduced, whereas the smallest eigenvalue was elevated on the affected side. There was no significant difference in T2-weighted signal and Dav. The decrease of anisotropy correlated positively with the motor deficit at the time of DTI study and 90 days after stroke. The reduction of anisotropy mirrors the disintegration of axonal structures, as it occurs in the early phase of Wallerian degeneration. DTI detects changes of water diffusion related to beginning pyramidal tract degeneration within the first 2 weeks after stroke that are not yet visible in conventional T2-weighted or orientationally averaged diffusion weighted MRI. We demonstrated for the first time a correlation of early DTI findings of pyramidal tract damage with the motor deficit. DTI can help prognosing recovery of motor function after stroke within the early subacute phase.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.03.041

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  • FA changes can reflect one or more microstructural alterations, including Wallerian degeneration or reduced neuronal membrane permeability.

    “Changes in FA signal one or many microstructural alterations, such as Wallerian degeneration (Pierpaoli et al., 2001; Thomalla et al., 2004) or decreased neuronal membrane permeability (Jones, KnöSche, & Turner, 2013).”

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Authors
Thomalla, G., Glauche, V., Koch, M. A., Beaulieu, C., Weiller, C., & Röther, J.
Affiliations
  • University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
  • University of Alberta (CA)
Corresponding author
Thomalla, Götz
Venue
NeuroImage
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2004-08
Volume
22
Issue
4
Pages
1767-1774
ISSN
1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2059177186
Cited by
438
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 33 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 21
FWCI
18.44
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Acute Ischemic Stroke Management
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery
Keywords
Wallerian degeneration, corticospinal tract, ischemic stroke, middle cerebral artery stroke, diffusion tensor imaging, fractional anisotropy, motor impairment, cerebral peduncle
MeSH terms
Aged, Axons, Dominance, Cerebral, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Male, Middle Aged, Movement Disorders, Neurologic Examination, Prognosis, Pyramidal Tracts, Reference Values, Statistics as Topic, Wallerian Degeneration, Anisotropy, Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery, Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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