Quantitative characterization of age-related atrophic changes in cerebral hemispheres: A novel “contour smoothing” fractal analysis method

Q3 Medicine

Translational Research in Anatomy Pub Date : 2023-09-13 DOI:10.1016/j.tria.2023.100263

Nataliia Maryenko, Oleksandr Stepanenko

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Background

Quantitatively assessing age-related atrophic changes in cerebral hemispheres remains a crucial challenge, particularly in distinguishing between normal and pathological brain atrophy caused by neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we introduced a new fractal analysis algorithm, referred to as the “contour smoothing” method, to quantitatively characterize age-related atrophic changes in cerebral hemispheres.

Materials and methods

MRI scans from 100 healthy individuals (44 males, 56 females), aged 18–86 (mean age 41.72 ± 1.58), were analyzed. We used two fractal analysis methods: the novel “contour smoothing” method (with stages: 1–6, 1–5, 2–6, 1–4, 2–5) and the classical “box-counting” method to assess cerebral cortex pial surface contours.

Results

Fractal dimensions obtained using the “box-counting” method showed weak or statistically insignificant correlations with age. Conversely, fractal dimensions derived from the “contour smoothing” method exhibited significant age-related correlations. The “contour smoothing” method with 1–4 stages proved more suitable for quantifying atrophic changes. The average fractal dimension for 1–4 coronal sections was 1.402 ± 0.005 (minimum 1.266, maximum 1.490), and for all five tomographic sections, it was 1.415 ± 0.004 (minimum 1.278, maximum 1.514). These fractal dimensions exhibited the strongest correlations with age: r = −0.709 (p < 0.001) and r = −0.669 (p < 0.001), respectively.

Conclusion

The “contour smoothing” fractal analysis method introduced in this study can effectively examine cerebral hemispheres to detect and quantify age-related atrophic changes associated with normal or pathological aging. This method holds promise for clinical application in diagnosing neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.

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定量表征与年龄相关的大脑半球萎缩变化:一种新的“轮廓平滑”分形分析方法

背景定量评估大脑半球与年龄相关的萎缩性变化仍然是一个关键的挑战，特别是在区分神经退行性疾病引起的正常和病理性脑萎缩方面。在这项研究中，我们引入了一种新的分形分析算法，称为“轮廓平滑”方法，以定量表征大脑半球与年龄相关的萎缩性变化。材料和方法分析100名健康人（44名男性，56名女性）的MRI扫描，年龄18-86岁（平均年龄41.72±1.58）。我们使用了两种分形分析方法：新颖的“轮廓平滑”方法（分阶段：1-6、1-5、2-6、1-4、2-5）和经典的“盒计数”方法来评估大脑皮层pial表面轮廓。结果采用“盒计数”方法得到的分形维数与年龄的相关性较弱或在统计学上不显著。相反，从“轮廓平滑”方法得出的分形维数表现出显著的年龄相关性。经过1-4个阶段的“轮廓平滑”方法被证明更适合量化萎缩性变化。1-4个冠状切片的平均分形维数为1.402±0.005（最小1.266，最大1.490），所有五个断层切片的平均分维数为1.415±0.004（最小1.278，最大1.514）。这些分形维数与年龄的相关性最强：分别为r=-0.709（p<；0.001）和r=-0.669（p<；0.001）。结论本研究引入的“轮廓平滑”分形分析方法可以有效地检测大脑半球，以检测和量化与正常或病理衰老相关的与年龄相关的萎缩性变化。这种方法有望在诊断神经退行性疾病，如阿尔茨海默病方面得到临床应用。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Translational Research in Anatomy Medicine-Anatomy

CiteScore

2.90

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

25 days

期刊介绍： Translational Research in Anatomy is an international peer-reviewed and open access journal that publishes high-quality original papers. Focusing on translational research, the journal aims to disseminate the knowledge that is gained in the basic science of anatomy and to apply it to the diagnosis and treatment of human pathology in order to improve individual patient well-being. Topics published in Translational Research in Anatomy include anatomy in all of its aspects, especially those that have application to other scientific disciplines including the health sciences: • gross anatomy • neuroanatomy • histology • immunohistochemistry • comparative anatomy • embryology • molecular biology • microscopic anatomy • forensics • imaging/radiology • medical education Priority will be given to studies that clearly articulate their relevance to the broader aspects of anatomy and how they can impact patient care.Strengthening the ties between morphological research and medicine will foster collaboration between anatomists and physicians. Therefore, Translational Research in Anatomy will serve as a platform for communication and understanding between the disciplines of anatomy and medicine and will aid in the dissemination of anatomical research. The journal accepts the following article types: 1. Review articles 2. Original research papers 3. New state-of-the-art methods of research in the field of anatomy including imaging, dissection methods, medical devices and quantitation 4. Education papers (teaching technologies/methods in medical education in anatomy) 5. Commentaries 6. Letters to the Editor 7. Selected conference papers 8. Case Reports