Weiwei Chen1, Yan Zhang1, Ketao Mu1, Chu Pan1, Susan A Gauthier2, Wenzhen Zhu1, Yi Wang3,4,5. 1. 1 Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, 1095 Jiefang Ave, Wuhan 430030, China. 2. 2 Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY. 3. 3 Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 515 E 71th St, S-104, New York, NY 10022. 4. 4 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, NY. 5. 5 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kyung Hee University, South Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the magnetic susceptibility of normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using quantitative susceptibility mapping. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-four patients with relapse-remitting MS (RRMS) (37 with gadolinium-enhancing lesions and 57 with only gadolinium-nonenhancing lesions) and 55 healthy control subjects were included in this retrospective study. The susceptibility values of NAWM relative to CSF in patients with MS were compared with those of white matter (WM) in healthy control subjects and were correlated with the patient status of gadolinium-enhancing lesions, disease duration, and expanded disability status scale scores. RESULTS: All 37 patients with RRMS and gadolinium-enhancing lesions also had gadolinium-nonenhancing lesions. Susceptibility values of NAWM in patients with MS and only gadolinium-nonenhancing lesions (-18.29 ± 8.03 parts per billion [ppb]) were higher than those for WM in healthy control subjects (-25.81 ± 6.02 ppb; p < 0.001) and NAWM in patients with gadolinium-enhancing lesions (-25.64 ± 6.55 ppb; p < 0.001). Susceptibility values of NAWM in patients with MS with gadolinium-enhancing lesions were similar to those for WM in healthy control subjects (p = 0.91). This trend was dependent on neither NAWM region nor disease duration when the data were controlled for age. NAWM susceptibility was not correlated with either disease duration or expanded disability status scale (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: In patients with RRMS and gadolinium-nonenhancing lesions, the susceptibility values of NAWM decrease when gadolinium-enhancing lesions appear, approaching values similar to those of WM in healthy control subjects, suggesting that NAWM may contribute to the iron accumulation observed in early active MS lesions.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the magnetic susceptibility of normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using quantitative susceptibility mapping. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-four patients with relapse-remitting MS (RRMS) (37 with gadolinium-enhancing lesions and 57 with only gadolinium-nonenhancing lesions) and 55 healthy control subjects were included in this retrospective study. The susceptibility values of NAWM relative to CSF in patients with MS were compared with those of white matter (WM) in healthy control subjects and were correlated with the patient status of gadolinium-enhancing lesions, disease duration, and expanded disability status scale scores. RESULTS: All 37 patients with RRMS and gadolinium-enhancing lesions also had gadolinium-nonenhancing lesions. Susceptibility values of NAWM in patients with MS and only gadolinium-nonenhancing lesions (-18.29 ± 8.03 parts per billion [ppb]) were higher than those for WM in healthy control subjects (-25.81 ± 6.02 ppb; p < 0.001) and NAWM in patients with gadolinium-enhancing lesions (-25.64 ± 6.55 ppb; p < 0.001). Susceptibility values of NAWM in patients with MS with gadolinium-enhancing lesions were similar to those for WM in healthy control subjects (p = 0.91). This trend was dependent on neither NAWM region nor disease duration when the data were controlled for age. NAWM susceptibility was not correlated with either disease duration or expanded disability status scale (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: In patients with RRMS and gadolinium-nonenhancing lesions, the susceptibility values of NAWM decrease when gadolinium-enhancing lesions appear, approaching values similar to those of WM in healthy control subjects, suggesting that NAWM may contribute to the iron accumulation observed in early active MS lesions.
Entities:
Keywords:
magnetic susceptibility; multiple sclerosis; normal-appearing white matter; quantitative susceptibility mapping