Introduction: Parenchymal Neuro-Behçet’s disease (p-NBD) usually
presents with a characteristic lesion in the mesodiencephalic region.
However, there is a lack of information regarding the axonal integrity
of normal-appearing white matter in p-NBD. Diffusion tensor imaging
(DTI) is based on the properties of diffusivity and anisotropy that indicate
the integrity of axons. The primary objective of the study was to compare
p-NBD patients to healthy controls using diffusion tensor magnetic
resonance imaging (DTI-MRI).
Methods: The study enrolled parenchymal p-NBD patients who
maintained stable disease status for 12 months. Healthy controls were
chosen from a population with a similar age and gender distribution.
Axial DTI was acquired using single-shot echo-planar imaging. Group
analyses were carried out using the track-based spatial statistics tool of
FMRIB software library (FSL). Correlations between DTI parameters and
clinical outcomes were analyzed in the patient group.
Results: We recruited 12 patients with p-NBD and 12 healthy individuals.
We found significant fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD),
and radial diffusivity (RD) differences in the superior longitudinal
fasciculus, superior corona radiata, anterior corona radiata, body and
genu of the corpus callosum, external capsule, and anterior limb of the
internal capsule, mainly in the frontal white matter.
Conclusion: Patients with p-NBD exhibit significant DTI alterations in
the otherwise normal-appearing frontal association tracts. This study
may contribute to a better understanding of the neuropsychological
impairment pattern in patients with p-NBD, which is often associated
with frontal cognitive networks.
Keywords: cognitive involvement, diffusion tensor imaging, frontal
white matter tracts, neuro-Behçet’s disease