Spinal Cord Gray and White Matter Imaging in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
This study aims to measure in vivo the spinal cord gray and white matter in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and healthy persons that match the patients' age and sex using rAMIRA imaging, a novel Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) method. Patients and healthy control persons prospectively undergo MRI examinations, clinical examinations including assessments of disability, and tests of muscle force using hand held dynamometry. Serum markers of neuro-axonal injury are also assessed. Examinations for patients and healthy control persons are scheduled every six months over a time span of two years.
• 18 years or older
• neurologist-confirmed possible, probable or definite ALS acc. to El Escorial criteria
• at baseline: able to lie in an MRI scanner for one hour
• 18 years or older
• able to lie in MRI scanner for one hour
• 18 years or older
• neurologist-confirmed Motor Neuron Disease (not ALS)
• able to lie in MRI scanner for one hour