TY - JOUR
T1 - Probing axons using multi-compartmental diffusion in multiple sclerosis
AU - Bagnato, Francesca
AU - Franco, Giulia
AU - Li, Hua
AU - Kaden, Enrico
AU - Ye, Fei
AU - Fan, Run
AU - Chen, Amalie
AU - Alexander, Daniel C.
AU - Smith, Seth A.
AU - Dortch, Richard
AU - Xu, Junzhong
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Objects: The diffusion-based spherical mean technique (SMT) provides a novel model to relate multi-b-value diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to features of tissue microstructure. We propose the first clinical application of SMT to image the brain of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and investigate clinical feasibility and translation. Methods: Eighteen MS patients and nine age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent a 3.0 Tesla scan inclusive of clinical sequences and SMT images (isotropic resolution of 2 mm). Axial diffusivity (AD), apparent axonal volume fraction (Vax), and effective neural diffusivity (Dax) parametric maps were fitted. Differences in AD, Vax, and Dax between anatomically matched regions reflecting different tissues types were estimated using generalized linear mixed models for binary outcomes. Results: Differences were seen in all SMT-derived parameters between chronic black holes (cBHs) and T2-lesions (P ≤ 0.0016), in Vax and AD between T2-lesions and normal appearing white matter (NAWM) (P < 0.0001), but not between the NAWM and normal WM in HCs. Inverse correlations were seen between Vax and AD in cBHs (r = −0.750, P = 0.02); in T2-lesions Dax values were associated with Vax (r = 0.824, P < 0.0001) and AD (r = 0.570, P = 0.014). Interpretations: SMT-derived metrics are sensitive to pathological changes and hold potential for clinical application in MS patients.
AB - Objects: The diffusion-based spherical mean technique (SMT) provides a novel model to relate multi-b-value diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to features of tissue microstructure. We propose the first clinical application of SMT to image the brain of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and investigate clinical feasibility and translation. Methods: Eighteen MS patients and nine age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent a 3.0 Tesla scan inclusive of clinical sequences and SMT images (isotropic resolution of 2 mm). Axial diffusivity (AD), apparent axonal volume fraction (Vax), and effective neural diffusivity (Dax) parametric maps were fitted. Differences in AD, Vax, and Dax between anatomically matched regions reflecting different tissues types were estimated using generalized linear mixed models for binary outcomes. Results: Differences were seen in all SMT-derived parameters between chronic black holes (cBHs) and T2-lesions (P ≤ 0.0016), in Vax and AD between T2-lesions and normal appearing white matter (NAWM) (P < 0.0001), but not between the NAWM and normal WM in HCs. Inverse correlations were seen between Vax and AD in cBHs (r = −0.750, P = 0.02); in T2-lesions Dax values were associated with Vax (r = 0.824, P < 0.0001) and AD (r = 0.570, P = 0.014). Interpretations: SMT-derived metrics are sensitive to pathological changes and hold potential for clinical application in MS patients.
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U2 - 10.1002/acn3.50836
DO - 10.1002/acn3.50836
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85070743909
VL - 6
SP - 1595
EP - 1605
JO - Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology
JF - Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology
SN - 2328-9503
IS - 9
ER -