A Novel Ultra-High b-Value Diffusion-Weighted MRI Technique for ALS Diagnosis and Disease Tracking in Mouse Spinal Cords In vivo

Motivation: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) significantly impacts global human health, but its etiology remains unclear. Goal(s): To develop a novel diffusion-weighted MRI technique to detect early changes in ALS-affected spinal cord in vivo. Approach: We applied ultra-high b-values by using long diffusion time to examine the restricted diffusion in spinal white matter tracts in SOD1G93A mice at ages of 75 and 90 days. Results: Significant differences were found in diffusion of ventral roots between SOD1G93A mice and control at ages of 75 and 90 days. A shift of diffusion distribution was observed in SOD1G93A mice between 75 and 90 days. Impact: This in vivo study potentially presents a novel view in non-invasive evaluating alterations in spinal cord tissue associated with ALS pathology, thus benefiting investigations related to drug delivery and therapeutic response monitoring of ALS.