Group comparisons of diffusion indices in the pyramidal tract (PYT) between the lowest section of the cerebral peduncle and the uppermost section of the lateral ventricle
| Controls | RRMS Patients | P Values | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA PYT | PYT Lesions | Controls Versus NA PYT | NA PYT Versus PYT Lesions | ||
| FA | 0.46 ± 0.02 | 0.41 ± 0.04 | 0.34 ± 0.05 | <.0001 | <.0001 |
| Dav | 0.75 ± 0.02 | 0.85 ± 0.08 | 0.87 ± 0.09 | <.0001 | .247 |
| λ1 | 1.28 ± 0.03 | 1.25 ± 0.07 | 1.21 ± 0.10 | .019 | .051 |
| λ23 | 0.54 ± 0.02 | 0.65 ± 0.09 | 0.70 ± 0.10 | <.0001 | .007 |
Note:—RRMS indicates relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis; NA, normal-appearing; FA, fractional anisotropy; Dav, directionally averaged diffusion coefficient (×10-3 mm2/s); λ1, axial diffusion coefficient (×10-3mm2/s); λ23, radial diffusion coefficient (×10-3 mm2/s). The group mean ± SD for the diffusion indices (Mann-Whitney U test) is reported in the second through fourth columns. A P value of <.01 is considered statistically significant, whereas a value between .01 and 0.05 is considered to represent a trend. The P values indicated that RRMS has abnormal diffusion in the normal-appearing PYT.