Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disabling and rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder. There is no treatment that significantly slows progression. Our project aims to find new biomarkers in MRI at three levels: cerebral, medullary and muscular. These markers could allow an earlier diagnosis of the disease by showing more specific lesions of ALS and to quantify these lesions to measure the progression of the disease. This study will use advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques High field (3T) and very high field (7T) MRI. Results from neurological and electrophysiological tests will be compared to the MRI. Subjects will be recruited from ALS center of Marseille, France. MRI will be done on ALS patients at baseline, at 3 month and at 6 month intervals.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
22
MRI (1.5T)
MUNIX
MRI (7T)
7T and 3T MRI
Shahram Attarian
Marseille, France
Disease progression using MRI
Muscular, brain and spinal cord MRI (brain sodium concentration, muscular volume of members, measure of transversal area for spinal cord)
Time frame: Change from Baseline and at Month 6
Link between MRI and clinical scales
ALSFRS score, MRC score, ECAS score
Time frame: Baseline and Month 6
Link between MRI and MUNIX
For muscle, brain and spinal cord group
Time frame: Baseline and Month 6
Alterations of metabolic and funtional brain
Multiparametric MRI (diffusion parameters, myelin parameters, quantification of fat-infiltration and oedema)
Time frame: Baseline and Month 6
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