MRI Striatal Volumes – A Biomarker for Clinical Trials inHD

摘要

There is an abundance of research showing that MRI striatal volumes decrease long before diagnosis of HD and closely track disease progression. Additional research indicates that these volumetric measures meet important criteria for a biomarker that can be used in clinical trials: They are (1) objectively measureable; (2) able to predict known endpoints; and (3) associated with known mechanisms of pathology of the disease. It is recommended that HD researchers consider formal application to regulatory agencies for biomarker status of volumetric MRI striatal measures, as it is anticipated that these measures can contribute significantly in the assessment of treatment effectiveness in HD.