Aaron M. Rulseh1, Jiri Keller2, Robert Rusina3, Hana Brozova4, Robert Jech4, Josef Vymazal2
1Dept. of Radiology, Na Homolce Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic; 2Na Homolce Hospital, Czech Republic; 3Faculty Thomayer Hospital, Czech Republic; 4Dept. of Neurology, Charles University in Prague, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Czech Republic
Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a sporadic, progressive disease characterized by autonomic dysfunction with varying degrees of parkinsonian and/or cerebellar features, and has been postulated that MSA is a primary oligodendrogliopathy. Twenty patients with probable MSA and twenty healthy volunteers were included. White matter changes in MSA are widespread and not limited to discrete regions. Dramatic changes in RD with nearly unaltered AD support previous studies reporting oligodendrocytes are primarily affected in MSA. Further studies examining white matter changes in diverse regions may extend the utility of DTI in the diagnosis of MSA.