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Magnetisation transfer ratio abnormalities in primary and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

James William L Brown1, Azmain Chowdhury2, Baris Kanber3

  • 1NMR Research Unit, Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, UK/Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Multiple Sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
|April 9, 2019
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR) imaging reveals abnormal cortical and periventricular gradients in both primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). These findings suggest similar pathological processes underlie both forms of progressive MS.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neurology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) exhibits distinct tissue abnormalities in cortical and periventricular regions, assessed via magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR) imaging.
  • Meningeal inflammation, including lymphoid follicles observed in secondary progressive MS (SPMS) but not primary progressive MS (PPMS), is a potential cause for these differences.
  • Investigating MTR gradients in PPMS and SPMS may elucidate the role of meningeal inflammation in disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess cortical and periventricular MTR gradients in individuals with PPMS.
  • To compare MTR gradients between individuals with PPMS and SPMS.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an optimized processing pipeline to analyze MTR gradients in normal-appearing white matter and cortical grey matter.
  • Compared MTR gradients between 51 healthy controls and 63 individuals with progressive MS (28 PPMS, 35 SPMS).

Main Results:

  • The periventricular MTR gradient was significantly shallower in healthy controls compared to both PPMS and SPMS groups.
  • The cortical MTR gradient was also significantly shallower in healthy controls compared to PPMS and SPMS groups.
  • Statistical significance was observed for both periventricular (p < 0.0001) and cortical (p = 0.038 for PPMS, p = 0.016 for SPMS) gradient comparisons.

Conclusions:

  • Abnormal periventricular and cortical MTR gradients are present in both PPMS and SPMS.
  • The comparable MTR gradients suggest similar underlying pathological processes in both PPMS and SPMS.
  • MTR imaging may serve as a valuable tool for understanding the progression of MS.
Keywords:
Primary progressive multiple sclerosismagnetisation transfer rationormal-appearing white mattersecondary progressive multiple sclerosis

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