Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique, that permits assessing the micro-structural integrity of the central nervous system. Conventional structural MRI usually underestimates the actual brain alterations associated with various neurological diseases. The latter can be illustrated by the following example. Figure 1 shows a tiny contrast agent enhancing lesion. This lesion, however, does not reflect the actual extensive micro-structural tissue damage around the lesion as revealed by DTI. Structural lesions are therefore frequently called as „tip of the iceberg“.

Figure 1 – Comparison between structural T1-weighted MRI (with contrast agent gadolinium) and DTI

The following selected original publications provide an overview of my recent research activity in the development of new DTI analysis techniques:

  1. Kugler, V.A., Deppe, M., 2018. Non-lesional cerebellar damage in patients with clinically isolated syndrome: DTI measures predict early conversion into clinically definite multiple sclerosis. Neuroimage Clin.Volume 19, 633-639.
  2. Miske, R., Gross, C.C., Scharf, M., Golombeck, K.S., Hartwig, M., Bhatia, U., Schulte-Mecklenbeck, A., Bonte, K., Strippel, C., Schols, L., Synofzik, M., Lohmann, H., Dettmann, I.M., Deppe, M., Mindorf, S., Warnecke, T., Denno, Y., Teegen, B., Probst, C., Brakopp, S., Wandinger, K.P., Wiendl, H., Stocker, W., Meuth, S.G., Komorowski, L., Melzer, N., 2017. Neurochondrin is a neuronal target antigen in autoimmune cerebellar degeneration. Neurol.Neuroimmunol.Neuroinflamm. 4, e307.
  3. Repple, J., Meinert, S., Grotegerd, D., Kugel, H., Redlich, R., Dohm, K., Zaremba, D., Opel, N., Buerger, C., Forster, K., Nick, T., Arolt, V., Heindel, W., Deppe, M., Dannlowski, U., 2017. A voxel-based diffusion tensor imaging study in unipolar and bipolar depression. Bipolar Disord.
  4. Deppe, M., Tabelow, K., Kramer, J., Tenberge, J.G., Schiffler, P., Bittner, S., Schwindt, W., Zipp, F., Wiendl, H., Meuth, S.G., 2016. Evidence for early, non-lesional cerebellar damage in patients with multiple sclerosis: DTI measures correlate with disability, atrophy, and disease duration. Mult.Scler. 22, 73-84.
  5. Deppe, M., Kramer, J., Tenberge, J.G., Marinell, J., Schwindt, W., Deppe, K., Groppa, S., Wiendl, H., Meuth, S.G., 2016. Early silent microstructural degeneration and atrophy of the thalamocortical network in multiple sclerosis. Hum.Brain Mapp. 37, 1866-1879.
  6. Dannlowski, U., Grabe, H.J., Wittfeld, K., Klaus, J., Konrad, C., Grotegerd, D., Redlich, R., Suslow, T., Opel, N., Ohrmann, P., Bauer, J., Zwanzger, P., Laeger, I., Hohoff, C., Arolt, V., Heindel, W., Deppe, M., Domschke, K., Hegenscheid, K., Volzke, H., Stacey, D., Meyer Zu, S.H., Kugel, H., Baune, B.T., 2015. Multimodal imaging of a tescalcin (TESC)-regulating polymorphism (rs7294919)-specific effects on hippocampal gray matter structure. Mol.Psychiatry 20, 398-404.
  7. Holtbernd, F., Deppe, M., Bachmann, R., Mohammadi, S., Ringelstein, E.B., Reilmann, R., 2015. Deficits in tongue motor control are linked to microstructural brain damage in multiple sclerosis: a pilot study. BMC Neurol. 15, 190.
  8. Kramer, J., Deppe, M., Gobel, K., Tabelow, K., Wiendl, H., Meuth, S.G., 2015. Recovery of thalamic microstructural damage after Shiga toxin 2-associated hemolytic-uremic syndrome. J Neurol.Sci. 356, 175-183.
  9. Kramer, J., Meuth, S.G., Tenberge, J.G., Schiffler, P., Wiendl, H., Deppe, M., 2015. Early and Degressive Putamen Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis. Int.J Mol.Sci. 16, 23195-23209.
  10. Lueg, G., Gross, C.C., Lohmann, H., Johnen, A., Kemmling, A., Deppe, M., Groger, J., Minnerup, J., Wiendl, H., Meuth, S.G., Duning, T., 2015. Clinical relevance of specific T-cell activation in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease. Neurobiol.Aging 36, 81-89.
  11. Reilmann, R., Lippross, V., Hölzner, E., Gigengack, F., Bohlen, S., Kugel, H., Deppe, M., Osada, N., Lücke, M., Riess, O., Nguyen, H.P., von Hörsten, S., Schäfers, K., Schäfers, M., Jacobs, A.H., Hermann, S., 2015. FDG mPET Fails to Detect a Disease-Specific Phenotype in Rats Transgenic for Huntington’s Disease – A 15 Months Follow-up Study. Journal of Huntington’s Disease 4, 37-47.
  12. Deppe, M., Marinell, J., Kramer, J., Duning, T., Ruck, T., Simon, O.J., Zipp, F., Wiendl, H., Meuth, S.G., 2014. Increased cortical curvature reflects white matter atrophy in individual patients with early multiple sclerosis. Neuroimage Clin. 6, 475-487.
  13. Gerdes, J.S., Walther, E.U., Jaganjac, S., Makrigeorgi-Butera, M., Meuth, S.G., Deppe, M., 2014. Early detection of widespread progressive brain injury after cardiac arrest: a single case DTI and post-mortem histology study. PLoS.One. 9, e92103.
  14. Deppe, M., Muller, D., Kugel, H., Ruck, T., Wiendl, H., Meuth, S.G., 2013. DTI detects water diffusion abnormalities in the thalamus that correlate with an extremity pain episode in a patient with multiple sclerosis. Neuroimage Clin. 2, 258-262.
  15. Duning, T., Deppe, M., Brand, E., Stypmann, J., Becht, C., Heidbreder, A., Young, P., 2013. Brainstem involvement as a cause of central sleep apnea: pattern of microstructural cerebral damage in patients with cerebral microangiopathy. PLoS.One. 8, e60304.
  16. Keller, S.S., Ahrens, T., Mohammadi, S., Gerdes, J.S., Moddel, G., Kellinghaus, C., Kugel, H., Weber, B., Ringelstein, E.B., Deppe, M., 2013. Voxel-based statistical analysis of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity in patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy of unknown cause. J.Neuroimaging 23, 352-359.
  17. Reilmann, R., Holtbernd, F., Bachmann, R., Mohammadi, S., Ringelstein, E.B., Deppe, M., 2013. Grasping multiple sclerosis: do quantitative motor assessments provide a link between structure and function? J.Neurol. 260, 407-414.
  18. Gerdes, J.S., Keller, S.S., Schwindt, W., Evers, S., Mohammadi, S., Deppe, M., 2012. Progression of microstructural putamen alterations in a case of symptomatic recurrent seizures using diffusion tensor imaging. Seizure 21, 478-481.
  19. Keller, S.S., Schoene-Bake, J.C., Gerdes, J.S., Weber, B., Deppe, M., 2012. Concomitant fractional anisotropy and volumetric abnormalities in temporal lobe epilepsy: cross-sectional evidence for progressive neurologic injury. PLoS.One. 7, e46791.
  20. Kleffner, I., Duning, T., Lohmann, H., Deppe, M., Basel, T., Promesberger, J., Dorr, J., Schwindt, W., Ringelstein, E.B., 2012. A brief review of Susac syndrome. J.Neurol.Sci. 322, 35-40.
  21. Mohammadi, S., Keller, S.S., Glauche, V., Kugel, H., Jansen, A., Hutton, C., Floel, A., Deppe, M., 2012. The Influence of Spatial Registration on Detection of Cerebral Asymmetries Using Voxel-Based Statistics of Fractional Anisotropy Images and TBSS. PLoS.One. 7, e36851.
  22. Stubbe-Drger, B., Deppe, M., Mohammadi, S., Keller, S.S., Kugel, H., Gregor, N., Evers, S., Young, P., Ringelstein, E.B., Arendt, G., Knecht, S., Husstedt, I.W., 2012. Early microstructural white matter changes in patients with HIV: a diffusion tensor imaging study. BMC Neurol. 12, 23.
  23. Dorr, J., Jarius, S., Wildemann, B., Ringelstein, E.B., Schwindt, W., Deppe, M., Wandinger, K.P., Promesberger, J., Paul, F., Kleffner, I., 2011. [Susac syndrome: an interdisciplinary challenge]. Nervenarzt 82, 1250-1263.
  24. Duning, T., Schiffbauer, H., Warnecke, T., Mohammadi, S., Floel, A., Kolpatzik, K., Kugel, H., Schneider, A., Knecht, S., Deppe, M., Schabitz, W.R., 2011. G-CSF prevents the progression of structural disintegration of white matter tracts in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a pilot trial. PLoS.One. 6, e17770.
  25. Keller, S.S., Ahrens, T., Mohammadi, S., Moddel, G., Kugel, H., Ringelstein, E.B., Deppe, M., 2011. Microstructural and volumetric abnormalities of the putamen in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Epilepsia 52, 1715-1724.
  26. Kleffner, I., Wersching, H., Schwindt, W., Kuhlmann, T., Keyvani, K., Deppe, M., Husstedt, I., 2011. Triad of visual, auditory and corticospinal tract lesions: a new syndrome in a patient with HIV infection. AIDS 25, 659-663.
  27. Duning, T., Kellinghaus, C., Mohammadi, S., Schiffbauer, H., Keller, S., Ringelstein, E.B., Knecht, S., Deppe, M., 2010. Individual white matter fractional anisotropy analysis on patients with MRI negative partial epilepsy. J.Neurol.Neurosurg.Psychiatry 81, 136-139.
  28. Duning, T., Warnecke, T., Schirmacher, A., Schiffbauer, H., Lohmann, H., Mohammadi, S., Young, P., Deppe, M., 2010. Specific pattern of early white-matter changes in pure hereditary spastic paraplegia. Mov Disord. 25, 1986-1992.
  29. Jansen, A., Liuzzi, G., Deppe, M., Kanowski, M., Olschlager, C., Albers, J.M., Schlaug, G., Knecht, S., 2010. Structural correlates of functional language dominance: a voxel-based morphometry study. J.Neuroimaging 20, 148-156.
  30. Kleffner, I., Deppe, M., Mohammadi, S., Schwindt, W., Sommer, J., Young, P., Ringelstein, E.B., 2010. Neuroimaging in Susac’s syndrome: focus on DTI. J.Neurol.Sci. 299, 92-96.
  31. Meinzer, M., Mohammadi, S., Kugel, H., Schiffbauer, H., Floel, A., Albers, J., Kramer, K., Menke, R., Baumgartner, A., Knecht, S., Breitenstein, C., Deppe, M., 2010. Integrity of the hippocampus and surrounding white matter is correlated with language training success in aphasia. Neuroimage. 53, 283-290.
  32. Mohammadi, S., Moller, H.E., Kugel, H., Muller, D.K., Deppe, M., 2010. Correcting eddy current and motion effects by affine whole-brain registrations: evaluation of three-dimensional distortions and comparison with slicewise correction. Magn Reson.Med. 64, 1047-1056.
  33. Warnecke, T., Duning, T., Schirmacher, A., Mohammadi, S., Schwindt, W., Lohmann, H., Dziewas, R., Deppe, M., Ringelstein, E.B., Young, P., 2010. A novel splice site mutation in the SPG7 gene causing widespread fiber damage in homozygous and heterozygous subjects. Mov Disord. 25, 413-420.
  34. Wersching, H., Duning, T., Lohmann, H., Mohammadi, S., Stehling, C., Fobker, M., Conty, M., Minnerup, J., Ringelstein, E.B., Berger, K., Deppe, M., Knecht, S., 2010. Serum C-reactive protein is linked to cerebral microstructural integrity and cognitive function. Neurology 74, 1022-1029.
  35. Duning, T., Warnecke, T., Mohammadi, S., Lohmann, H., Schiffbauer, H., Kugel, H., Knecht, S., Ringelstein, E.B., Deppe, M., 2009. Pattern and progression of white-matter changes in a case of posterior cortical atrophy using diffusion tensor imaging. J.Neurol.Neurosurg.Psychiatry 80, 432-436.
  36. Duning, T., Deppe, M., Keller, S., Mohammadi, S., Schiffbauer, H., Marziniak, M., 2009. Diffusion tensor imaging in a case of Kearns-Sayre syndrome: striking brainstem involvement as a possible cause of oculomotor symptoms. J.Neurol.Sci. 281, 110-112.
  37. Duning, T., Deppe, M., Keller, S., Schiffbauer, H., Stypmann, J., Bontert, M., Schaefer, R., Young, P., 2009. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness Is a Common Symptom in Fabry Disease. Case.Rep.Neurol. 1, 33-40.
  38. Kleffner, I., Wersching, H., Schwindt, W., Keyvani, K., Deppe, M., Husstedt, I.W., 2009. Motoneuron Disease in a Patient During Early Stage of HIV-Infection. Klinische Neurophysiologie 40, 207-208.
  39. Kovac, S., Deppe, M., Mohammadi, S., Schiffbauer, H., Schwindt, W., Moddel, G., Dogan, M., Evers, S., 2009. Gelastic seizures: A case of lateral frontal lobe epilepsy and review of the literature. Epilepsy Behav. 15, 249-253.
  40. Anneken, K., Evers, S., Mohammadi, S., Schwindt, W., Deppe, M., 2008. Transient lesion in the splenium related to antiepileptic drug: case report and new pathophysiological insights. Seizure. 17, 654-657.
  41. Deppe, M., Kellinghaus, C., Duning, T., Moddel, G., Mohammadi, S., Deppe, K., Schiffbauer, H., Kugel, H., Keller, S.S., Ringelstein, E.B., Knecht, S., 2008. Nerve fiber impairment of anterior thalamocortical circuitry in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Neurology 71, 1981-1985.
  42. Kleffner, I., Deppe, M., Mohammadi, S., Schiffbauer, H., Stupp, N., Lohmann, H., Young, P., Ringelstein, E.B., 2008. Diffusion tensor imaging demonstrates fiber impairment in Susac syndrome. Neurology 70, 1867-1869.
  43. Deppe, M., Duning, T., Mohammadi, S., Schwindt, W., Kugel, H., Knecht, S., Ringelstein, E.B., 2007. Diffusion-tensor imaging at 3 T: detection of white matter alterations in neurological patients on the basis of normal values. Invest Radiol. 42, 338-345.