PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Elias R. Melhem AU - Daniel J. Loes AU - Christos S. Georgiades AU - Gerald V. Raymond AU - Hugo W. Moser TI - X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy: The Role of Contrast-enhanced MR Imaging in Predicting Disease Progression DP - 2000 May 01 TA - American Journal of Neuroradiology PG - 839--844 VI - 21 IP - 5 4099 - http://www.ajnr.org/content/21/5/839.short 4100 - http://www.ajnr.org/content/21/5/839.full SO - Am. J. Neuroradiol.2000 May 01; 21 AB - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Early assignment of disease progression among patients with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is critical for the appropriate selection of effective therapy. We evaluated the association between contrast enhancement on T1-weighted spin-echo MR images and disease progression.METHODS: Clinical charts of patients with X-linked ALD were reviewed for age, availability of MR images of the brain, severity of neurologic impairment, and duration and number of follow-up evaluations. Forty-three male patients with X-linked ALD had undergone multiple MR imaging examinations of the brain that consisted of at least sagittal and axial T1-weighted spin-echo, axial double-echo spin-echo, and contrast-enhanced axial T1-weighted spin-echo imaging. The MR images were reviewed for the presence of contrast enhancement. In addition, global disease burden, as shown by the double-echo spin-echo images, was assessed using a visual scoring method (Loes score).RESULTS: Enhancement was seen on the initial T1-weighted spin-echo MR images of 21 (49%) patients; 18 (86%) of the 21 patients had disease progression revealed by the follow-up evaluations based on MR imaging (Loes) and neurologic scores. No enhancement was seen on the initial T1-weighted spin-echo MR images of 22 (51%) patients; for 18 (82%) of the 22 patients, no evidence of disease progression was revealed by the follow-up evaluations.CONCLUSION: There is a very strong association between the presence of contrast enhancement on T1-weighted MR images and X-linked ALD progression based on clinical evaluation and MR imaging.