Dysphagia in patients with middle cerebral artery infarction: A retrospective diffusion tensor imaging study / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To determine the subcortical areas associated with post-stroke dysphagia and its recovery using diffusion tensor images.@*Methods@#Ten patients with middle cerebral artery lesions and dysphagia were selected into the dysphagia group, while another 10 counterparts without dysphagia were chosen for the non-dysphagia group. The ratios of diffuse anisotropy (rFAs) in eleven regions of interest (ROIs) on both the healthy and affected sides were recorded and compared between the two groups. One and 3 months later, the rFA values of the dysphagia group were again measured and the rFAs were related with dysphagia outcomes and severity using Spearman correlation analysis.@*Results@#Comparing the rFAs of the 11 ROIs between the two groups revealed significant differences between the insulae of the dysphagia group and the non-dysphagia group. Three months later the rFA values of the insulae, cerebral peduncles and superior cerebellar peduncles had increased significantly in the dysphagia group. The average dysphagia outcome and severity score of the dysphagia group was significantly lower one month after the treatment than 3 months later. Moreover, the outcome and severity score was found to be significantly correlated with the rFA values of the insulae and of the superior cerebellar peduncles one month after the treatment, but with that of the cerebral peduncles only after 3 months.@*Conclusion@#Dysphagia within one month of the onset of infarction is related to the insulae, the cerebral peduncles and the superior cerebellar peduncles. After 3 months it is associated with the cerebral peduncles.