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Multiple-mouse Neuroanatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: February 27, 2011
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Quantitative MRI phenotypes capture biological heterogeneity in multiple sclerosis patients
Ide Smets1,2,3, An Goris4,5, Marijne Vandebergh1,2
1Laboratory for Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Box 1022, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
Scientific Reports
|January 16, 2021
Summary
Individual differences in brain MRI markers are more significant than disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). These Magnetization Transfer Ratio (MTR) and volumetric changes reflect distinct biological processes, not solely genetic susceptibility.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Multiple Sclerosis Research
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and brain volumetric imaging are crucial (semi-)quantitative MRI markers for assessing demyelination, axonal degeneration, and inflammation in neurological conditions.
- The underlying factors influencing variations in these MRI markers remain largely undetermined, hindering a comprehensive understanding of disease progression and individual patient differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the sources of variation in Magnetization Transfer Ratio (MTR) and brain volumetric MRI markers within a cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
- To determine the relative contributions of inter-patient differences, intra-patient changes, age, gender, and genetic risk scores to the observed variations in MRI metrics.
Main Methods:
- A combined longitudinal (n=33) and cross-sectional (n=213) study design was employed in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
- Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) was measured in lesions, normal-appearing white matter (NAWM), and normal-appearing grey matter (NAGM).
- Brain volumetric imaging (total brain, grey matter, white matter, lesion volume) and polygenic MS risk scores were calculated.
Main Results:
- Longitudinal analysis revealed that inter-patient differences at baseline explained over 70% of the variance in MRI markers, overshadowing intra-patient changes.
- Cross-sectional analysis showed moderate correlations between MTR in NAGM and NAWM, and less pronounced correlations with lesions.
- Age and gender significantly influenced total brain and grey matter volume (approx. 30% variance) but had a minimal impact (<10%) on MTR variations. No significant association was found between MRI traits and genetic risk scores.
Conclusions:
- Pre-existing inter-patient differences are the primary drivers of variation in MRI markers in MS, with ongoing disease activity contributing more modestly.
- These (semi-)quantitative MRI traits capture individual biological variations that appear distinct from the mechanisms underlying genetic susceptibility to MS.
- The findings underscore the importance of considering baseline individual variability when interpreting MRI changes in MS patients.
