Multidimensional voxel-based morphometric analysis of brain parenchymal volume variations in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
SHEN Feng
YANG Yi-fan
BAI Ru
LI Shu
LIU Shuang
CHENG Yu-qi
XU Jian
Abstract：Objective To investigate alterations in brain parenchymal volume in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)using the voxel-based morphometry(VBM)approach.Methods SLE patients with normal routine brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and healthy controls(HCs)in Department of Rheumatology and Immunology,First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from 2007 to 2021 were recruited at a 1∶1 matching ratio based on gender and age.The 3D-T1 brain structural magnetic resonance images were segmented and the total brain volume,average brain region volume and voxel brain map were calculated,which were compared from multiple dimensions.Results At the whole brain level,the gray matter volumes of SLE group were significantly reduced compared with those of the HCs group(P＜0.05).At the level of brain regions,the volume of 15 brain regions such as the bilateral fusiform gyrus and insula decreased significantly(after FDR correction,q＜0.05).At the cluster level,the volume of the right rectus in the gray matter area decreased(GRF correction,Voxel P＜0.001,Cluster P＜0.01).Conclusion SLE patients exhibit brain volume reduction at multiple dimensions.VBM methods can detect brain parenchymal atrophy in SLE patients with normal MRI.
Keywords：voxel-based morphometric analysissystemic lupus erythematosusbrain parenchymal volumestructural magnetic resonance imaging
Publication Date：2024-09-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 760-764 )