2D Distribution Analysis of DTI in Two Phenotypes of Dystonia Patients

An Vo¹, Miklos Argyelan¹, David Eidelberg¹, Aziz M. Ulug¹

Hereditary dystonia is a neurological movement disorder where the subjects have abnormal motions due to muscle contractions. We used a 2D distribution analysis with a physical brain model, which can automatically determine the different tissue types according the inherent diffusional characteristics. Seven dystonia patients with DYT1 genotype, four non-manifesting DYT1 mutation carriers and eight normal were studied. The results show that the brain tissue can be characterized using diffusion parameters using distribution analysis in 2D. There are considerable differences among three groups studied in terms of the parameters measured. Our model stained the putamen a DYT1 subject suggestive of disease involvement in that area.