Quantitative estimation of regional brain gray nuclei iron content in idiopathic restless legs syndrome patients by phase values / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the applicative value of enhanced 3D multi-echo GRE T2*-weighted angiography(ESWAN) sequence phase values in evaluating brain gray nuclei iron content in idiopathic restless legs syndrome(RLS) patients, providing imaging basis in diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic RLS. Methods In our institute from June 2012 to September 2016,forty-five RLS patients were selected as the RLS group, and 45 healthy volunteers as the control group. ESWAN sequence was performed and serum ferritin values were obtained in all patients and volunteers. The raw data of ESWAN was postprocessed , where the phase maps were obtained. Phase analysis was performed on localized brain gray nuclei regions of interest (substantia nigra, red nucleus, dentate nucleus, thalamus, pallidum, putamen and caudate nucleus ) selected on phase maps. Differences between the 2 subject groups were evaluated using ANCOVA including age as a covariate. Results The phase values of the substantia nigra, thalamus, pallidum and putamen in the RLS group were (-0.087 ± 0.021), (-0.053 ± 0.012), (-0.161 ± 0.008), (-0.125 ± 0.019) radians , respectively. The phase values of the substantia nigra, thalamus, pallidum and putamen in the control group were (-0.127 ± 0.007), (-0.066 ± 0.007), (-0.166 ± 0.007), (-0.150 ± 0.010) radians, respectively. There were significant differences between the two groups (F=142.492, 37.988, 10.558, 60.725;P0.05). Conclusions Phase values can make a quantitative assessment of brain gray nuclei iron content in RLS patients, our results supported the hypothesis of reduced brain iron content in RLS patents , which may have an important role in the pathogenesis of the disorder. However, iron content change in some brain regions was not correlated with serum ferritin concentration changes.