Cerebral atrophy in multiple system atrophy by MRI

Cranial magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the cerebral areas of 40 patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) and of 61 age-matched controls were analyzed. The cerebral area of MSA patients was 131.95+/-15.89 cm(2) (mean+/-S.D.), which was significantly smaller than that of normal controls at 149.01+/-10.93 cm(2) (P<0.0001). All 23 MSA cases subjected to the MRI study over a 1-year period showed progressive cerebral atrophy, and the atrophy rate was 2.46+/-1.66%/year. There were no significant differences within the MSA subtypes or between gender. The progression of cerebral atrophy in MSA correlated more with duration (r = -0.634) than age (r = -0.421). We conclude that MRI findings throughout the course of MSA suggest progressive cerebral atrophy, which is common in all subtypes and reflects duration of the disease rather than age. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.