Objective To determine whether normal-appearing cervical spinal cord in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has abnormal changes based on the quantitative measurement in healthy volunteers. Methods Conventional MRI and axial DTI were obtained in 16 patients with ALS (ALS group) and 16 age-matched control subjects (normal group) . ADC, fractional anisotropy (FA) and relative anisotropy(RA)imagcs were obtained on workstation (AW4. 2). ROIs (5 mm × 5 mm) were placed in anterior funicalus, posterior funiculus, and bilateral lateral corticospinal tracts (LCTs), respectively, at the same slice (C3). Independent-sample t test was used for comparison of parameters between the two groups. Correlations between DTI parameters of ALS and ALS course, Norris score, and ALSFRS were carried out separately by Pearson correlation analysis. Results FA and RA values of bilateral LCTs were decreased significantly. FA/RA values of left LCT were 0.762±0.089 and 0.762±0.107 in ALS group, while they were 0.863±0.098 and 0.890±0.105 in control group, respectively. FA/RA values of right LCT were 0.751±0.065 and 0.772±0.082 in ALS group, and they were 0.843±0.118 and 0.863±0.134 in control group, respectively, they were decreased significantly (t = 2.575、4.195、2.246、2.218, P < 0.05). There were no significant differences (t = - 1.319, - 1.087, P > 0.05) between ADC values of left and right CSTs in ALS group [(0.744±0.162) × 10~(-3), (0.767±0.141) × 10-~(3) mm~2/s] and control group [(0.640±0.149) ×10~(-3), (0.643±0.168) ×10~(-3) mm~2/s)]. FA, RA and ADC values of ALS patients in anterior funiculus were 0.637±0.113, 0.622±0.138, (0.950±0.354)×10~(-3) mm~2/s, in control group they were 0.670±0.117, 0.656±0.136, (0.865±0.238) × 10~(-3) mm~2/s, there were no significant differences (t = 0.854, - 0.704, - 1.155,P > 0.05). FA, RA and ADC values of ALS patients in posterior funieulus were 0.886±0.073, 0.920±0.100, (0.613±0.137)×10~(-3) mm~2/s, in control group they were 0.906±0.078, 0.914±0.135, (0.636±0.224) × 10~(-3) mm~2/s, there were no significant differences (t = 1.655, - 0.148, - 1.360; P > 0.05). No significant correlation existed between FA and RA values and disease course, Norris and ALSFRS score (P > 0.05), in left and right LCTs. Conclusion DTI with SE-EPI technique is simple and sensitive to detect the pathological changes of the cervical spinal cord in ALS patients. DTI can reveal the abnormalities which are "normal appearing" on conventional T_2WI.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the magnetic resonance (MR) features of meningeal carcinomatosis, and to improve the ability in understanding and diagnosing meningeal carcinomatosis by MR findings.

METHODSEleven cases with proven meningeal carcinomatosis were studied by conventional and Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging. The enhancement patterns and features, as well as the types of meningeal involvement, were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSConventional MR imaging showed no evident meningeal abnormalities. After the administration of Gd-DTPA, abnormal pia mater enhancement was detected in 9 cases, demonstrating as the continuous, thin, and lineal high signal intensity on the brain surface that could descend into the sulci. The abnormal pial enhancement occurred on the cortical surfaces of cerebellum, brainstem, and cerebrum. No abnormal enhancement in the subarachnoid space was found. Abnormal dura-arachnoid enhancement was seen in 3 cases, showing as the continuous, thick, and curvilineal high signal intensity over the convexities or in the tentorium without extension into the cortical sulci. Cerebral dura-arachnoid involvement was found in all 3 cases and one of them also showed abnormal enhancement in cerebellar dura-arachnoid and tentorium. Of the 11 cases, 9 with pial involvement had abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) results, 2 involving only the dura-arachnoid had normal CSF results.

CONCLUSIONMeningeal carcinomatosis could be well demonstrated by Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging, and its type could be differentiated by the enhancement features. Combined with the clinical information, Gd-enhanced MR imaging may lead to the diagnosis and guide the therapy of meningeal carcinomatosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Child ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; secondary ; Middle Aged ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; secondary