Publications by authors named "Joao Victor Altamiro Costa"
Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging may show abnormalities in the normal-appearing cervical spinal cord from patients with multiple sclerosis.
Fernanda Miraldi Fernanda Cristina Rueda Lopes João Victor Altamiro Costa Soniza Vieira Alves-Leon Emerson Leandro Gasparetto
Arq Neuropsiquiatr
September 2013
Objective: This study aims to evaluate "in vivo" the integrity of the normal-appearing spinal cord (NASC) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to controls, using diffusion tensor MR imaging.
Methods: We studied 32 patients with MS and 17 without any neurologic disorder. Fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD) and mean diffusivity (MD) were calculated within regions of interest at C2 and C7 levels in the four columns of the spinal cord.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates the integrity of the spinal cord in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) using diffusion tensor MR imaging and compares the results to controls and patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
- The research involved 8 NMO patients, 17 healthy individuals, and 32 MS patients, examining various diffusion metrics at specific spinal cord levels.
- Findings indicate significant damage to the spinal cord in NMO patients, particularly in the white matter, revealing a unique lesion pattern distinct from that seen in MS.