Department of Neurology, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Greifswald, Germany.
J Neuroimaging. 2010 Jan;20(1):53-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1552-6569.2008.00321.x. Epub 2008 Oct 21.
Diameter measurement of the third ventricle with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and recently also with transcranial sonography (TCS) has emerged as a surrogate marker for brain atrophy and disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aims to evaluate TCS measurements of the third ventricle diameter in a clinical routine setting against MRI.
Transverse diameters of the third ventricle were determined in 27 MS patients using both, TCS and MRI. In TCS, the distance between the leading edges of the brain-ventricle interfaces was assessed in axial image planes. In MRI, the transverse diameter of the mid-portion of the third ventricle was measured on axial T1-weighted images.
The mean diameter of the third ventricle was 4.0 mm (SD 1.7 mm), when measured with MRI, and 4.4 mm (SD 1.7 mm), when measured with TCS. The 95% limits of agreement of the Bland-Altman Plot were 2.93 mm (95% CI 2.08 to 3.78 mm) and -2.23 mm (95%CI -3.08 to -1.38 mm). Pearson correlation coefficient was .71 (P < .0001).
TCS may appear suitable as screening examination for the extent of brain atrophy at a single-point study, but at least in the early stages of the disease, TCS is not useful to monitor disease progression.
磁共振成像（MRI）和最近的经颅超声（TCS）测量第三脑室直径已成为多发性硬化症（MS）脑萎缩和疾病进展的替代标志物。本研究旨在评估 TCS 测量第三脑室直径在临床常规环境下与 MRI 的对比。
在 27 名 MS 患者中，使用 TCS 和 MRI 同时测量第三脑室的横径。在 TCS 中，在轴位图像平面上评估脑-脑室界面的前缘之间的距离。在 MRI 中，在轴向 T1 加权图像上测量第三脑室中部的横径。
MRI 测量的第三脑室平均直径为 4.0 毫米（SD 1.7 毫米），TCS 测量的直径为 4.4 毫米（SD 1.7 毫米）。Bland-Altman 图的 95%一致性界限为 2.93 毫米（95%CI 2.08 至 3.78 毫米）和-2.23 毫米（95%CI-3.08 至-1.38 毫米）。Pearson 相关系数为.71（P <.0001）。
TCS 似乎可作为单点研究中脑萎缩程度的筛查检查，但至少在疾病的早期阶段，TCS 无法用于监测疾病进展。
