Longitudinal MRI shows no cerebral abnormality in chronic fatigue syndrome
Fred Springfield posted this to co-cure March 20 2010
(if: The conclusions that "scientists" jump to in studies often appears to be supremely subjective and far beyond the reach of the data. This is an example of that to me. I actually find it quite frightening.)
Longitudinal MRI shows no cerebral abnormality in chronic fatigue syndrome.
Journal: Br J Radiol. 2010 Mar 11. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Perrin R, Embleton K, Pentreath VW, Jackson A.
Affiliation: Imaging Science and Biomedical Engineering, Department of Medicine, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
NLM Citation: PMID: 20223910
MRI has previously provided conflicting results when used to search for brain abnormalities in sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Eighteen CFS patients and nine healthy volunteers each underwent MRI on two occasions one year apart. The resulting images were examined for abnormalities in brain atrophy, deep white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and cerebral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow.
Mean proportionate CSF volume was not significantly different between subject groups. All participants showed a slight increase in CSF between scans, but no significant difference was found between those with CFS and those without. Between group comparisons of ventricular volume revealed no significant differences at study commencement and no significant change over the year. No significant inter-group differences were found for any of the cerebral blood and CSF flow parameters. Low levels of WMH were found in all participants. Objective scoring of WMH using Scheltens' scale revealed no change in summary components (prosencephalic DWMH, basal ganglia hyperintensities and infratentorial hyperintensities) or in individual component variables between the baseline and 1 year follow-up scans. No abnormal patterns in rate and extent of brain atrophy, ventricle volume, white matter lesions, cerebral blood flow or aqueductal CSF flow were detected in the CFS population.
These results throw open the debate into whether MRI scanning can reveal diagnostic signs of CFS and clinically questions the diagnoses of CFS made on the basis of previous research conclusions.
Fred Springfield posted this to co-cure March 20 2010
(if: The conclusions that "scientists" jump to in studies often appears to be supremely subjective and far beyond the reach of the data. This is an example of that to me. I actually find it quite frightening.)
Longitudinal MRI shows no cerebral abnormality in chronic fatigue syndrome.
Journal: Br J Radiol. 2010 Mar 11. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Perrin R, Embleton K, Pentreath VW, Jackson A.
Affiliation: Imaging Science and Biomedical Engineering, Department of Medicine, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
NLM Citation: PMID: 20223910
MRI has previously provided conflicting results when used to search for brain abnormalities in sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Eighteen CFS patients and nine healthy volunteers each underwent MRI on two occasions one year apart. The resulting images were examined for abnormalities in brain atrophy, deep white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and cerebral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow.
Mean proportionate CSF volume was not significantly different between subject groups. All participants showed a slight increase in CSF between scans, but no significant difference was found between those with CFS and those without. Between group comparisons of ventricular volume revealed no significant differences at study commencement and no significant change over the year. No significant inter-group differences were found for any of the cerebral blood and CSF flow parameters. Low levels of WMH were found in all participants. Objective scoring of WMH using Scheltens' scale revealed no change in summary components (prosencephalic DWMH, basal ganglia hyperintensities and infratentorial hyperintensities) or in individual component variables between the baseline and 1 year follow-up scans. No abnormal patterns in rate and extent of brain atrophy, ventricle volume, white matter lesions, cerebral blood flow or aqueductal CSF flow were detected in the CFS population.
These results throw open the debate into whether MRI scanning can reveal diagnostic signs of CFS and clinically questions the diagnoses of CFS made on the basis of previous research conclusions.