Paolo Preziosa1, Maria A. Rocca1, Sarlota Mesaros2, Elisabetta Pagani1, Tatjana Stosic-Opincal3, Jelena Drulovic2, Giancarlo Comi4, Massimo Filippi1
1Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, Italy; 2Clinic of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Yugoslavia; 3Clinic of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Yugoslavia; 4Department of Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, Italy
A voxel-wise analysis to diffusion tensor (DT) MRI tractography and T2 lesions metrics of the middle (M) and superior (S) cerebellar peduncles (CP) was applied to quantify their structural damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and to assess its relationship with clinical disability. Compared to healthy controls, MS patients showed widespread diffusivity abnormalities along these tracts, which were more pronounced in clinically impaired patients. Compared to unimpaired patients, patients with overall and cerebellar clinical impairment had a higher probability of having T2 lesions in CPs. MS-related clinical impairment is due to both focal damage and diffuse white matter tract injury.