Bildgebende Verfahren bei amyotropher Lateralsklerose und frontotemporaler Demenz

On the basis of recent genetic and neuropathological findings, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia can be regarded as 2 manifestations of a continuous disease. Novel imaging techniques showing comparable structural and functional changes in patient's white and grey matter support this view. Pathological changes in ALS clearly extend beyond the motor areas and disturbances in white matter, characterised by functional hypo- and hyperconnective areas, are a crucial factor in this disease. Vice versa FTD is not restricted to frontal atrophy, but shows involvement of motor areas and recruitment of compensatory brain regions. This review focus on the main results, obtained from conventional imaging and modern MRI techniques in ALS and FTD such as voxel-based morphometry, diffusion tensor imaging, magnetisation transfer imaging, MR spectroscopy, and functional MRI.