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Updated: Mar 3, 2026
Positron Emission Tomography Imaging for In Vivo Measuring of Myelin Content in the Lysolecithin Rat Model of Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: February 28, 2021
Pittsburgh compound-B PET white matter imaging and cognitive function in late multiple sclerosis
Burcu Zeydan1, Val J Lowe2, Christopher G Schwarz2
1Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, MN, USA/Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, MN, USA.
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging reveals no difference in cortical amyloid-beta plaque levels between multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and controls. However, white matter (WM) PiB-PET uptake in MS is linked to visuospatial function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Radiology
Background:
- Growing interest in white matter (WM) imaging using positron emission tomography (PET).
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between cognitive function in late-stage MS and cortical and WM Pittsburgh Compound-B PET (PiB-PET) binding.
- To compare PiB-PET binding in MS patients and age-matched controls.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the population-based Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.
- Included 24 MS participants and age/sex-matched controls (5:1 ratio).
- Employed automated/semi-automated image analysis and conditional logistic regression.
Main Results:
- MS patients exhibited lower memory and language performance, smaller thalamic volumes, and thinner cortices compared to controls.
- No significant difference in global cortical PiB-PET uptake was observed between MS patients and controls.
- PiB-PET uptake was lower in WM hyperintensities and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in MS patients, correlating with reduced visuospatial performance.
Conclusions:
- Cortical PiB-PET uptake in late MS does not differ from age-matched controls.
- WM PiB-PET uptake in late MS may serve as a biomarker for the integrity of large network structures, particularly those involved in visuospatial performance.
