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Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis: lesion characterization with magnetization transfer
V Dousset1, R I Grossman, K N Ramer
1Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
Radiology
|February 1, 1992
Summary
Magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) offers a reproducible method to measure white matter integrity. This technique can differentiate between edema and demyelination in conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS).
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Biophysics
- Neurology
Background:
- Magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) provides quantitative measurements of water-proton interactions with macromolecules.
- Normal white matter exhibits high reproducibility in magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) measurements (42%-44%).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of MTI in detecting and characterizing white matter abnormalities.
- To differentiate between edema and demyelination in disease models and patients.
Main Methods:
- MTI was performed on normal guinea pigs and human volunteers.
- MTI was applied to an animal model of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and 15 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) was calculated for normal white matter, EAE lesions, and MS lesions.
Main Results:
- In EAE, a model with edema, MTRs decreased slightly (5%-8%) in lesions.
- In MS patients, lesions showed a significantly decreased MTR (average 26%), suggesting demyelination.
- Normal-appearing white matter in chronic MS patients also exhibited decreased MTR.
- MTI detected abnormalities not visible with standard MRI sequences.
Conclusions:
- MTI is a reproducible technique for assessing white matter integrity.
- MTI can differentiate between edema and demyelination.
- MTI demonstrates sub-visual white matter abnormalities in MS.