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Updated: Jun 7, 2025
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis at 7.0 Tesla
Published on: February 19, 2021
Non-invasive Assessment of Cerebral Hemodynamics Using Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in
Ahmed Khalil1, Susanna Asseyer2,3,4, Rebekka Rust2,5
1Center for Stroke Research Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Abstract:
Perfusion changes in white matter (WM) lesions and normal-appearing brain regions play an important pathophysiological role in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, most perfusion imaging methods require exogenous contrast agents, the repeated use of which is discouraged. Using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI), we aimed to investigate differences in perfusion between white matter lesions and normal-appearing brain regions in MS and healthy participants. A total of 41 MS patients and 41 age- and sex-matched healthy participants received rs-fMRI, from which measures of cerebral hemodynamics and oxygenation were extracted and compared across brain regions and study groups using within- and between-group nonparametric tests, linear mixed models, and robust multiple linear regression. We found longer blood arrival times and lower blood volumes in lesions than in normal-appearing WM. Higher blood volumes were found in MS patients' deep WM lesions compared to healthy participants, and blood arrival time was more delayed in MS patients' deep WM lesions than in healthy participants. Delayed blood arrival time in the cortical grey matter was associated with greater cognitive impairment in MS patients. Perfusion imaging using rs-fMRI is useful for WM lesion characterization. rs-fMRI-based blood arrival times and volumes are associated with cognitive function.
Insights
Resting-state functional MRI reveals altered brain perfusion in multiple sclerosis (MS) white matter lesions. These perfusion changes, including delayed blood arrival, are linked to cognitive impairment in MS patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Medical Physics
Background:
- Perfusion alterations in white matter (WM) lesions are crucial in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathophysiology.
- Conventional perfusion imaging often necessitates contrast agents, limiting repeated use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate perfusion differences in WM lesions versus normal-appearing WM using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI).
- To explore the association between rs-fMRI derived perfusion metrics and cognitive function in MS.
Main Methods:
- rs-fMRI data acquired from 41 MS patients and 41 healthy controls.
- Cerebral hemodynamic and oxygenation measures extracted and analyzed using nonparametric tests, linear mixed models, and robust regression.
- Comparison of perfusion metrics between lesion and normal-appearing WM, and between MS patients and controls.
Main Results:
- WM lesions exhibited longer blood arrival times and lower blood volumes compared to normal-appearing WM.
- MS patients showed higher blood volumes and more delayed blood arrival times in deep WM lesions versus controls.
- Delayed blood arrival time in cortical gray matter correlated with cognitive deficits in MS patients.
Conclusions:
- rs-fMRI offers a valuable, contrast-agent-free method for characterizing WM lesions in MS.
- rs-fMRI-derived blood arrival times and volumes are associated with cognitive impairment in MS.
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