Abstract
We performed serial monthly magnetization transfer (MT) imaging to evaluate the prevalence and evolution of structural changes in individual enhancing lesions from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Every 4 weeks for 3 months, we obtained dual echo, magnetization transfer (MT) imaging and, 5 min after SD (0.1 mmol/kg) gadolinium-DTPA injection, T1-weighted scans from 10 patients with early relapsing-remitting MS. We measured the MT ratio (MTR) of enhancing lesions seen on the entry scans on co-registered quantitative MTR images at entry and during the follow up. Fourty-two enhancing lesions were identified on the entry scans. According to the 'maximal random fluctuation' detected for the normal-appearing white matter MTR values, 16 (38%) lesions were classified as 'increasing MTR' lesions, 21 (50%) as 'stable MTR' lesions, and 5 (12%) as 'decreasing MTR' lesions. The classification of the lesions after the first month of follow up strongly predicted the classification at the end of the follow up (chi squared = 20.35, p = 0.0004). These results indicate that the enhancing lesion population in MS is heterogeneous, and that reparative mechanisms occurring after blood-brain barrier opening are not efficient in only a minority of the enhancing lesions from patients with early relapsing-remitting MS.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 979-984 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sep 1999 |
Keywords
- Gadolinium-DTPA
- Magnetization transfer ratio
- Multiple sclerosis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biophysics
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Structural Biology
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
- Condensed Matter Physics