Evaluation of diffusion tensor imaging findings in clinically isolated syndrom and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients

Purpose: To compare Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) findings normal appearing white matter (NAWM) and corpus callosum in patients who were diagnosed as clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with healthy control group (HC). Method: Clinically isolated syndrome (n=10), RRMS (n=29) and healthy control (HC) (n=13) groups were evaluated by DTI. Measurements were obtained over the normal appearing white matter (NAWM) and corpus callosum genu (CCG) and splenium (CCS) from mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) maps for DTI analysis. Results were evaluated statistically. Results: FA values of the temporal lobes' NAWM were found significantly different in HC, CIS and RRMS groups, but significant difference wasn't found between CIS and RRMS groups while HC and CIS, HC and RRMS groups were statistically different. FA values were significantly lower in the CCG in CIS groups, CCS in RRMS group. MD values were found significantly diffent in the CCG in HC, CIS and RRMS groups. MD values in the CCG between CIS and RRMS, between CIS and HC groups statistically were not diffent. There were significantly difference between RRMS and HC. Conclusion: DTI contribute to detect early changes in the NAWM in patients diagnosed as CIS and RRMS. So DTI can aid to follow up and management of the CIS and RRMS patients. Key Words: Clinically isolated syndrom, relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis, diffusion tensor imaging