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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Neurol.
Sec. Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1491193

Thalamic Volume Differentiates Multiple Sclerosis from Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: MRI-based Retrospective Study

Provisionally accepted
Manal Alosaimi Manal Alosaimi 1*Hatham Alkanhal Hatham Alkanhal 1Saleh Aldeligan Saleh Aldeligan 2Bander Hilabi Bander Hilabi 3Nuha Alkhawajah Nuha Alkhawajah 2Alaa Albishi Alaa Albishi 4Salman Aljarallah Salman Aljarallah 2*
  • 1 Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • 2 Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • 3 Department of Medical Imaging Administration , King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • 4 Department of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are distinct demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system, each characterized by unique patterns of motor, sensory, and visual dysfunction. While MS typically affects the brain and spinal cord, NMOSD predominantly targets the optic nerves and spinal cord. This study aims to elucidate the morphometric differences between MS and NMOSD by focusing on grey matter volume changes in specific brain regions. We also examined if temporal changes in follow-up MRI differentiate the two disorders.We analyzed anatomical T1-weighted MRI scans from 24 patients with NMOSD and 25 patients with MS using the CAT12 toolbox. Our analysis revealed significant differences in grey matter structure between the two patient groups. Notably, the thalamus was found to be consistently smaller in patients with MS compared to those with NMOSD. This finding aligns with previous research highlighting thalamic atrophy as a hallmark of MS and further underscores the thalamus's role in the disease's pathology.These results provide valuable insights into the distinct neuroanatomical features of MS and NMOSD, contributing to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying these diseases. The study also emphasizes the importance of advanced imaging techniques in differentiating between MS and NMOSD, which may have implications for diagnosis and treatment strategies.

    Keywords: Multiple Sclerosis, Neuromyelitis Optica, Thalamus, volume, CAT12, MRI

    Received: 04 Sep 2024; Accepted: 02 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Alosaimi, Alkanhal, Aldeligan, Hilabi, Alkhawajah, Albishi and Aljarallah. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Manal Alosaimi, Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
    Salman Aljarallah, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.