Aims

Main goal
To discuss, develop and promote best practice for acquisition and analysis of neuroimaging data in HD, in order to:

  • Support researchers planning and executing studies including a neuro imaging component.
  • Improve understanding of the initiation and progression of HD neuropathology, both neuro-developmental and neuro-degenerative.
  • Facilitate the use of imaging measures as endpoints or biomarkers in clinical trials.

Aims of the working group

  • To review the literature on neuroimaging in HD and relevant publications in other diseases, and keep abreast of new developments.
  • To discuss and promote standardised acquisition of imaging data across multiple sites.
  • To discuss and develop guidelines for consistent, reliable and transparent image analysis across academic groups and industry.

Projects

Current projects:

We have been working with the Critical Path Institute in collaboration with CHDI and a number of industrial partners to provide two articles which we hope will inform the design of future clinical trials:

  1. We have conducted a review of structural volumetric MRI studies (awaiting publication).
  2. We have provided recommendations for implementation of imaging biomarkers in clinical trials (awaiting publication).

Previous projects:

  1. The technique of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) for the analysis of structural MRI is largely automated. However, it is rarely implemented consistently across studies, and changing user-specified options can alter the results in a way similar to the biologic differences under investigation.  This project used data from patients with HD to demonstrate the effects of several user-specified VBM parameters and analyses, e.g. statistical correction, modulation, smoothing kernel size etc.  By publishing this work, we hope to increase awareness and recognition of these issues.

Pitfalls in the Use of Voxel-Based Morphometry as a Biomarker: Examples from Huntington Disease. S Henley, G Ridgway, R Scahill, S Klöppel, S Tabrizi, N Fox, J Kassubek and for the EHDN Imaging Working Group. AJNR 2010

Contact

We are keen to include new members.  If you have expertise in any imaging modality, or if you have plans to include imaging in an upcoming study and would like some input, please get in touch and we would be pleased to add you to the Imaging Working Group.

 

Lead facilitators:

Rachael Scahill PhD
UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK

Nicola Hobbs PhD
UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK

Associated EHDN Language Area Coordinator:
Bimpe Eshilokun, EHDN Lanco,
U.K.