ABSTRACT
Objective:To assess the practical value of visual scores of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)features in the diagnosis and classification of dementia with Lewy bodies(DLB).Methods:In this study, 102 DLB patients were prospectively recruited, with 102 cognitively normal elderly people as the normal control group(NC).All included subjects underwent MRI examinations and neuropsychological assessments.Based on the clinical dementia rating(CDR)scale, DLB patients were divided into a mild(CDR=1.0), a moderate(CDR=2.0)and a severe(CDR=3.0)group.The results of MRI were scored visually and the rating scales included medial temporal lobe atrophy(MTA), global cortical atrophy-frontal subscale(GCA-F), posterior cortical atrophy(PCA), white matter lesions(the Fazekas scale), cerebral microbleeds(CMBs), and the Evans Index(EI).Statistical differences were compared between the DLB and NC groups and between DLB patients with different degrees of cognitive impairment.Results:In terms of neuropsychology, the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE) score of the DLB group[16.0(11.0, 21.0)]was statistically significantly lower than that of the NC group[29.0(28.0, 30.0)]( Z=-12.31, P<0.001), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA)score of the DLB group[9.5(6.0, 15.0)]was statistically significantly lower than that of the NC group[28.0(27.0, 29.0)]( Z=-12.40, P<0.001), and the Activities of Daily Living(ADL)score of the DLB group[32.0(23.8, 40.0)]was statistically significantly higher than that of the NC group[20.0(20.0, 20.0)]( Z=-11.98, P<0.001).The scores of all MRI visual assessment scales in DLB patients were statistically significantly higher than those in the NC group( P<0.001).There were significant differences in MTA scores between DLB patients with different degrees of cognitive impairment( P0<0.001).The MTA score of the mild group[1.0(1.0, 1.0)]was statistically significantly lower than that of the moderate group[2.0(1.0, 2.0)]( P1<0.001, P2<0.001); The MTA score of the moderate group[2.0(1.0, 2.0)]was statistically significantly lower than that of the severe group[2.0(2.0, 3.0)]( P1=0.003, P2=0.010). Conclusions:This study has for the first time after comprehensively evaluated the value of various visual scores in DLB diagnosis, MTA can be used to help diagnose DLB and distinguish the severity of DLB, providing a new supplemental tool for clinical diagnosis.