YNICL Journal 2021 Journal Article
Diffusion kurtosis imaging detects subclinical white matter abnormalities in Phenylketonuria
- Sarah C. Hellewell
- Thomas Welton
- Kate Eisenhuth
- Michel C. Tchan
- Stuart M. Grieve
OBJECTIVE: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder whereby deficiencies in phenylalanine metabolism cause progressive neurological dysfunction. Managing PKU is challenging, with disease monitoring focussed on short-term phenylalanine control rather than measures of neuronal damage. Conventional imaging lacks sensitivity, however diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), a new MRI method may reveal subclinical white matter structural changes in PKU. METHODS: ratio). We then tested this metric in a Replication cohort (PKU = 20; controls = 43). RESULTS: provided clear separation by diagnosis in the Replication cohort (p < 0.001 in periventricular, deep and pericortical compartments). The ratio also correlated negatively with attention (r = -0.51 & -0.50, p < 0.05) and positively with 3-year mean Phe (r = 0.45 & 0.58, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: ratio) was sensitive to cognitive impairment and PKU control over the medium term and may provide a meaningful subclinical biomarker of end-organ damage.