Imaging Biomarkers for the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases. The Example of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Autores de IIS La Fe

• Miguel Mazón Momparler

  Autor

• Juan Francisco Vázquez Costa

  Autor

• Amadeo Ten Esteve

  Autor

• 

  Luis Martí Bonmatí

  Autor

Grupos

• Investigacion Biomédica en Imagen (GIBI 2-30)

  Investigador Principal

  Leonor Cerdá Alberich

• Investigación en Neuroinmunología y Esclerosis Múltiple

  

  Leader

  Bonaventura Casanova Estruch

• Patología Neuromuscular y Ataxias

  

  Investigador Principal

  Teresa Sevilla Mantecón

Abstract

The term amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) comprises a heterogeneous group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders of largely unknown etiology characterized by the upper motor neurons (UMN) and/or lower motor neurons (LMN) degeneration. The development of brain imaging biomarkers is essential to advance in the diagnosis, stratification and monitoring of ALS, both in the clinical practice and clinical trials. In this review, the characteristics of an optimal imaging biomarker and common pitfalls in biomarkers evaluation will be discussed. Moreover, the development and application of the most promising brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging biomarkers will be reviewed. Finally, the integration of both qualitative and quantitative multimodal brain MR biomarkers in a structured report will be proposed as a support tool for ALS diagnosis and stratification.

Keywords

• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; imaging biomarkers; neurodegenerative disorders; brain MR image analysis; a structured report