The value of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the diagnosis of different subtypes of Parkinson's disease and their differential diagnosis from essential tremor / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the differences in N-acetylaspartate/creatine(NAA/Cr), N-acetylaspartate/choline(NAA/Cho)and choline/creatine(Cho/Cr)in different brain regions of patients with different motor subtypes of Parkinson's disease(PD)or essential tremor(ET)using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy( 1H-MRS), and to provide an imaging basis for the diagnosis of different PD subtypes and their differential diagnosis from ET. Methods:92 PD outpatients and inpatients, ET patients and healthy individuals receiving check-ups at our hospital from June 2018 to May 2021were retrospectively enrolled and divided into four groups tremor-dominant(TD)(n=45), postural instability and gait disorders(PIGD)(n=47), ET(n=44), and healthy controls(n=40). Participant clinical information was collected and bilateral basal ganglia and cerebellar cortex 1H-MRS examinations were performed for each group.Values of NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho and Cho/Cr of the basal ganglia and the cerebellar cortex were compared between the groups. Results:NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho values in the basal ganglia were 1.65±0.19 and 1.55±0.20 for the TD group and 1.48±0.11 and 1.46±0.17 for the PIGD group, respectively, lower than in the control group(NAA/Cr 1.92±0.28; NAA/Cho 2.08±0.34)and the ET group(NAA/Cr 2.10±0.16; NAA/Cho 2.23±0.23), with statistical significance( P<0.05), whereas Cho/Cr values for the former two groups(TD 1.07±0.25; PIGD 1.02±0.13)were higher than in the latter two groups(control 0.92±0.27; ET 0.91±0.21), with statistical significance( P<0.05). NAA/Cr values of the basal ganglia in the PIGD group were lower than in the TD group( P<0.05). NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho and Cho/Cr values of the basal ganglia in the ET group were not statistically different compared with those in the control group( P>0.05). In the cerebellar cortex, NAA/Cr(0.72±0.16)and NAA/Cho(0.78±0.14)in the ET group were lower than in the control group(0.92±0.20)and(1.12±0.17), the TD group(0.90±0.14); (1.10±0.13)and the PIGD group(0.89±0.25)and(1.08±0.17)( P<0.05). NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho and Cho/Cr values of the cerebellar cortex for the TD group, the PIGD group and the control group had no statistical difference( P>0.05). Conclusions:1H-MRS can detect brain metabolic changes with damage or loss of neurons in the basal ganglia of PD patients and the cerebellar cortex of ET patients, potentially providing an objective imaging basis for early diagnosis of PD, its subtyping and the differential diagnosis from ET.