Friedreich’s ataxia is a rare disease involving degenerative processes within white matter fiber tracts, spinal nerves, and the cerebellum such as the atrophy of the dentate nuclei. A correlation of patients’ clinical status and white matter atrophy has been shown in MR volumetry studies. This ultra-high-field study assesses the degeneration of fiber tracts throughout the brainstem as well as of the dentate nuclei, the red nuclei, and the substantia nigra in Friedreich’s ataxia with quantitative MR parameters – susceptibility, diffusion anisotropy, and R2 and R1 relaxometry. Statistically significant differences between patients and controls and between disease characteristics were found.
This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.