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Updated: Apr 24, 2026
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis at 7.0 Tesla
Published on: February 19, 2021
Fast whole-brain three-dimensional macromolecular proton fraction mapping in multiple sclerosis
Vasily L Yarnykh1, James D Bowen, Alexey Samsonov
1From the Department of Radiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195 (V.L.Y., K.R.M.); Multiple Sclerosis Center (J.D.B., P.R., A.M., P.Q., B.G., L.K.J.H.) and Department of Radiology (B.P.K.), Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Seattle, Wash; and Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis (A.S.).
Macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) mapping quantifies brain tissue damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) and shows greater clinical relevance than other MRI measures. MPF mapping highlights gray matter damage as key in MS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Quantitative MRI
- Multiple Sclerosis Research
Background:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) involves complex tissue damage in the brain.
- Established MRI techniques like Magnetization Transfer (MT) ratio and R1 mapping assess MS-related tissue changes.
- Novel quantitative MRI methods are needed for precise assessment of MS pathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical utility of fast whole-brain macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) mapping in MS.
- To compare MPF mapping with established quantitative MRI measures (MT ratio, R1) for detecting MS-related tissue damage.
Main Methods:
- Whole-brain MPF maps were generated using 3-T MRI in 14 healthy controls, 18 Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS) patients, and 12 Secondary Progressive MS (SPMS) patients.
- MPF, R1, and MT ratio were measured in normal-appearing white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), and lesions.
- Correlations between imaging metrics and clinical scores (EDSS, MSFC) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- MPF was significantly reduced in WM and GM of RRMS patients compared to controls.
- SPMS patients showed further MPF reductions in WM, GM, and lesions compared to RRMS patients.
- MPF in GM demonstrated the strongest correlations with clinical disability scores (EDSS, MSFC), outperforming R1 and MT ratio.
Conclusions:
- MPF mapping provides quantitative assessment of demyelination in normal-appearing brain tissues in MS.
- MPF mapping reveals the primary clinical relevance of gray matter damage in MS.
- MPF mapping is superior to MT ratio and R1 in detecting MS-related tissue changes.
