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Updated: Feb 24, 2026
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis at 7.0 Tesla
Published on: February 19, 2021
Heterogeneous pathological processes account for thalamic degeneration in multiple sclerosis: Insights from 7 T
Céline Louapre1, Sindhuja T Govindarajan2, Costanza Giannì1
1A. A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Background:
Thalamic degeneration impacts multiple sclerosis (MS) prognosis.
Objective:
To investigate heterogeneous thalamic pathology, its correlation with white matter (WM), cortical lesions and thickness, and as function of distance from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Methods:
In 41 MS subjects and 17 controls, using 3 and 7 T imaging, we tested for (1) differences in thalamic volume and quantitative T2* (q-T2*) (2) globally and (3) within concentric bands originating from the CSF/thalamus interface; (4) the relation between thalamic, cortical, and WM metrics; and (5) the contribution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics to clinical scores. We also assessed MS thalamic lesion distribution as a function of distance from CSF.
Results:
Thalamic lesions were mainly located next to the ventricles. Thalamic volume was decreased in MS versus controls ( p < 10-2); global q-T2* was longer in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) only ( p < 10-2), indicating myelin and/or iron loss. Thalamic atrophy and longer q-T2* correlated with WM lesion volume ( p < 0.01). In relapsing-remitting MS, q-T2* thalamic abnormalities were located next to the WM ( p < 0.01 (uncorrected), p = 0.09 (corrected)), while they were homogeneously distributed in SPMS. Cortical MRI metrics were the strongest predictors of clinical outcome.
Conclusion:
Heterogeneous pathological processes affect the thalamus in MS. While focal lesions are likely mainly driven by CSF-mediated factors, overall thalamic degeneration develops in association with WM lesions.
