Diffusion tensor imaging in peroneal neuropathy: a prospective, single-centre study
Objective Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) showed promising results in diagnosing upper limb neuropathies, but its value in patients with foot drop due to peroneal neuropathy has not yet been investigated. We aim to establish reference values for DTI metrics of the healthy peroneal nerve and to evalua...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMJ Neurology Open |
| Online Access: | https://neurologyopen.bmj.com/content/7/1/e000876.full |
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| author | Robin Lemmens Anaïs Van Hoylandt Tom Theys Christophe Oosterbos Ahmed M Radwan Stefan Sunaert Sophie Hoornaert |
| author_facet | Robin Lemmens Anaïs Van Hoylandt Tom Theys Christophe Oosterbos Ahmed M Radwan Stefan Sunaert Sophie Hoornaert |
| author_sort | Robin Lemmens |
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| description | Objective Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) showed promising results in diagnosing upper limb neuropathies, but its value in patients with foot drop due to peroneal neuropathy has not yet been investigated. We aim to establish reference values for DTI metrics of the healthy peroneal nerve and to evaluate differences in DTI metrics between patients and healthy controls.Methods Diffusion-weighted images (DWI) from 22 pathological nerves, 14 asymptomatic patients’ nerves and 65 healthy peroneal nerves were processed for quantitative assessment of fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), axial diffusivity and mean diffusivity. Clinical baseline and follow-up data were prospectively collected for all patients.Results Mean patient FA values (0.40, SD 0.08) were significantly lower compared with healthy controls (mean FA 0.44, SD 0.06). Mean patient RD values (0.98 10−3 mm2/s, SD 0.21 10−3 mm2/s) were significantly higher compared with healthy controls (mean RD 0.85 10−3 mm2/s, SD 0.16 10−3 mm2/s). FA values were significantly lower in patients with severe foot drop (mean FA 0.40, SD 0.06) compared with non-severe foot drop (mean FA 0.48, SD 0.05).Conclusion Based on these results, DTI appears to aid in the differential diagnostic process of patients with peroneal neuropathy. Future studies should focus on automation of DWI processing, confirm the results in larger patient groups and try to establish reliable cut-off values for DTI metrics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b7717ce7277a461a87246a57c09a943d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2632-6140 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-b7717ce7277a461a87246a57c09a943d2025-01-10T01:35:14ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Neurology Open2632-61402025-01-017110.1136/bmjno-2024-000876Diffusion tensor imaging in peroneal neuropathy: a prospective, single-centre studyRobin Lemmens0Anaïs Van Hoylandt1Tom Theys2Christophe Oosterbos3Ahmed M Radwan4Stefan Sunaert5Sophie Hoornaert65 Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, BelgiumAff2 grid.5596.f0000000106687884Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Gynaecologic OncologyKU Leuven, Leuven Cancer Institute Leuven BelgiumResearch Group experimental Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy and the Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, BelgiumNeurosurgery, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg Campus Sint-Jan, Genk, BelgiumImaging and Pathology, Translational MRI, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumRadiology, UZ Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumResearch Group experimental Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy and the Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, BelgiumObjective Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) showed promising results in diagnosing upper limb neuropathies, but its value in patients with foot drop due to peroneal neuropathy has not yet been investigated. We aim to establish reference values for DTI metrics of the healthy peroneal nerve and to evaluate differences in DTI metrics between patients and healthy controls.Methods Diffusion-weighted images (DWI) from 22 pathological nerves, 14 asymptomatic patients’ nerves and 65 healthy peroneal nerves were processed for quantitative assessment of fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), axial diffusivity and mean diffusivity. Clinical baseline and follow-up data were prospectively collected for all patients.Results Mean patient FA values (0.40, SD 0.08) were significantly lower compared with healthy controls (mean FA 0.44, SD 0.06). Mean patient RD values (0.98 10−3 mm2/s, SD 0.21 10−3 mm2/s) were significantly higher compared with healthy controls (mean RD 0.85 10−3 mm2/s, SD 0.16 10−3 mm2/s). FA values were significantly lower in patients with severe foot drop (mean FA 0.40, SD 0.06) compared with non-severe foot drop (mean FA 0.48, SD 0.05).Conclusion Based on these results, DTI appears to aid in the differential diagnostic process of patients with peroneal neuropathy. Future studies should focus on automation of DWI processing, confirm the results in larger patient groups and try to establish reliable cut-off values for DTI metrics.https://neurologyopen.bmj.com/content/7/1/e000876.full |
| spellingShingle | Robin Lemmens Anaïs Van Hoylandt Tom Theys Christophe Oosterbos Ahmed M Radwan Stefan Sunaert Sophie Hoornaert Diffusion tensor imaging in peroneal neuropathy: a prospective, single-centre study BMJ Neurology Open |
| title | Diffusion tensor imaging in peroneal neuropathy: a prospective, single-centre study |
| title_full | Diffusion tensor imaging in peroneal neuropathy: a prospective, single-centre study |
| title_fullStr | Diffusion tensor imaging in peroneal neuropathy: a prospective, single-centre study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diffusion tensor imaging in peroneal neuropathy: a prospective, single-centre study |
| title_short | Diffusion tensor imaging in peroneal neuropathy: a prospective, single-centre study |
| title_sort | diffusion tensor imaging in peroneal neuropathy a prospective single centre study |
| url | https://neurologyopen.bmj.com/content/7/1/e000876.full |
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