Sung Tae Kim MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Jung Hee Lee PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sangwon Seo MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

DuckLyul Na MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yoo Jeong Yim MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Keon Ha Kim, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Pyoung Jeon MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hyung-Jin Kim MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hong Sik Byun MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Atrophy of the substantia innominata (SI) reflects degeneration of cholinergic neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert. This study was performed to know whether the atrophy of SI can be an early indicator of cognitive impairment.

Forty two consecutive patients diagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 12 consecutive patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 20 age-matched normal controls were subjected to the brain MRI with sagittal 3DT1TFE sequence on a 3T MRI scanner. The thickness of SI was measured on the reformated image crossing anterior commisure and perpendicular to AC-PC line. The mean cortical thickness of both hemispheres were measured using Constrained Laplacian-Based Automated Segmentation with Proximities (CLASP) algorithm.

The average of thickness of SI at right and left hemispheres were 6.96 ± 1.06 and 6.57±0.74 mm, respectively, for normal controls, 6.22±0.90 and 6.26±0.6 mm for MCI patients, and 6.13±1.06 and 5.96±1.04 mm for AD patients. The mean cortical thickness at right and left hemispheres were 2.97±0.10 and 2.96 ± 0.10 mm, recpectively, for normal controls, 2.94±0.17 and 2.95±0.17 mm for MCI patients, and 2.77±0.15 and 2.77 ±0.15 mm for AD patients. The thickness of SI was lower for MCI patients in the right hemisphere (p<0.05), and lower for AD patients in both hemispheres (p<0.05) than for normal controls. The mean cortical thickness of AD patients was lower than that of MCI patients (p<0.05) and normal controls (p<0.05).

We concluded that the atrophy of SI preceded the change in mean cortical thickness so thickness of SI may be the early indicator of cognitive impairment.

The measurement of thickness of SI may be a simple and practical method for evaluating patients with cognitive impairment.

Kim, S, Lee, J, Seo, S, Na, D, Yim, Y, Kim, K, Jeon, P, Kim, H, Byun, H, et al, , et al, , Can Thickness of the Substantia Innominata on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Be the Early Indicator of Cognitive Impairment?.  Radiological Society of North America 2007 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2007 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2007/5015797.html