Ines Blockx1,
Marleen Verhoye1, Dirk Poot2, Johan Van Audekerke1,
Huu Phuc Nguyen3, Stephan Von Hrsten4, Jan Sijbers2,
Annemie Van der Linden1
1Bio Imaging lab - University of
Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; 2Vision Lab - University of Antwerp,
Antwerp, Belgium; 3Department of Medical Genetics - University of
Tbingen, Tbingen, Germany; 4Experimental Therapy -
Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany
Diffusion
Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) quantifies the well known non-gaussianity of the
diffusion process in biological tissue
and is therefore an indicator of microstructural complexity. HD is a
progressive late-onset neurodegenerative disorder and is characterized by the
formation of huntingtin aggregates and degeneration of the corticostriatal
network. In the present study, we used the microstructural sensitivity of
DKI, to detect neurodegeneration in symptomatic tgHD rats at the age of 16
months. Region of interest analyses revealed significant differences of DT
and DK parameters in grey (caudate putamen) and even in white matter
(external capsula) structures.
Keywords