High-field diffusion tensor imaging of median, tibial, and sural nerves in type 2 diabetes with morphometric analysis

Pušnik, Luka (avtor), Gabor, Aljoša (avtor), Radochová, Barbara (avtor), Janáček, Jiří (avtor), Saudek, František (avtor), Alibegović, Armin (avtor), Serša, Igor (avtor), Cvetko, Erika (avtor), Umek, Nejc (avtor), Snoj, Žiga (avtor)

Background and Purpose: The primary objective was to compare diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scalar parameters of peripheral nerves between subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and those without diabetes. Secondarily, we aimed to correlate DTI scalar parameters with nerve morphometric properties. Methods: Median, tibial, and sural nerves were harvested from 34 male cadavers (17 T2DM, 17 nondiabetic). Each nerve was divided into three segments. The initial segment was scanned using 9.4 Tesla MRI system (three-dimensional pulsed-gradient spin-echo sequence). DTI scalars were calculated from region-average diffusion-weighted signals. Second segment was optically cleared, acquired with optical projection tomography (OPT), and analyzed for morphometrical properties. Toluidine-stained sections were prepared from last segment, and axon- and myelin-related properties were evaluated. Results: DTI scalar parameters of median and tibial nerves were comparable between the groups, while sural nerves of T2DM exhibited on average 41% higher mean diffusivity (MD) (p = 0.03), 38% higher radial diffusivity (RD) (p = 0.03), and 27% lower fractional anisotropy (FA) (p = 0.005). Significant differences in toluidine-evaluated parameters of sural nerves were observed between the groups, with a positive correlation between FA with fiber density (p = 0.0001) and with myelin proportion (p < 0.0001) and an inverse correlation between RD and myelin proportion (p = 0.003). OPT-measured morphometric properties did not correlate with DTI scalar parameters. Conclusions: High-field DTI shows promise as an imaging technique for detecting axonal and myelin-related changes in small sural nerves ex vivo. The reduced fiber density and decreased myelin content, which can be observed in T2DM, likely contribute to observed FA reduction and increased MD/RD.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: diffussion tensor, fractional anisotropy, histology, magnetic resonance imaging, microscopy, optical projection tomography
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: MF - Medicinska fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2025
• Št. strani: 11 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 35, iss. 1, art. e70025
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-167756
• UDK: 616-07
• ISSN pri članku: 1552-6569
• DOI: 10.1111/jon.70025
• COBISS.SI-ID: 228292611
• Datum objave v RUL: 10.03.2025

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Journal of neuroimaging
• Založnik: Wiley, American Society of Neuroimaging
• ISSN: 1552-6569
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517766937

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva-Nekomercialno 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: Licenca Creative Commons, ki prepoveduje komercialno uporabo, vendar uporabniki ne rabijo upravljati materialnih avtorskih pravic na izpeljanih delih z enako licenco.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: difuzijski tenzor, frakcijska anizotropija, histologija, slikanje z magnetno resonanco, mikroskopija, optična projekcijska tomografija