Contributions
Abstract: 190
Type: Oral
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - 25 Biomarkers
Objective: To evaluate the potential of Inhomogeneous Magnetization Transfer (ihMT) contrast in characterizing MS and investigate possible correlations between ihMT and clinical disability score.
Background: In vivo myelin imaging should be a key factor in the characterization of MS. Unfortunately anatomic MRI cannot image directly and univocally myelin and all the advanced indirect MR techniques (MWF, MT/qMT) either lack of specificity for myelin or are challenged by technical issues, overall preventing precise characterization of the pathology and/or therapeutic efficiency assessment. ihMT MRI has recently been proposed as a putative myelin-specific technique and preliminary studies demonstrated sensitivity for MS.
Methods: 25 relapsing-remitting MS patients and 20 sex/age-matched control subjects were scanned at 1.5T Siemens MRI using anatomic imaging for lesion segmentation, image registration/segmentation and ihMT imaging. IhMT and classical MT ratios maps were calculated and quantitative analysis was performed in MS lesion as well as normal appearing white and grey matter (NAWM, NAGM) and thalami.
Results: Statistical analyses confirmed that both ihMTR/MTR values clearly decreased in MS patients in several normal appearing myelinated tissues. Interestingly, the decrease of the ihMTR values appeared more pronounced in patients with the highest EDSS score. With regards to correlations with EDSS, differences between ihMTR and MTR were noticed. Significant (p< 0.05) negative correlations between ihMTR and EDSS were found in the internal capsule, frontal, temporal and occipital WM, corpus callosum and thalami. Weaker correlations were found for MTR, which were moreover significant in corpus callosum and thalami only.
Conclusion: Due to its superior specificity for myelin compared to MT, ihMT contrast could bring supplementary information on the severity of the disease by disentangling demyelination from other mechanisms occurring in MS. ihMT could also be implemented in future clinical trials for the evaluation of new molecules and treatment strategies to prevent demyelination and to stimulate remyelination.
Disclosure:
Mchinda: nothing to disclose
Van Obberghen: nothing to disclose
Le Troter: nothing to disclose
Prevost: nothing to disclose
Soulier: nothing to disclose
Viout: nothing to disclose
Varma: nothing to disclose
Guye: nothing to disclose
Ranjeva: nothing to disclose
Alsop: nothing to disclose
Pelletier: nothing to disclose
Abstract: 190
Type: Oral
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - 25 Biomarkers
Objective: To evaluate the potential of Inhomogeneous Magnetization Transfer (ihMT) contrast in characterizing MS and investigate possible correlations between ihMT and clinical disability score.
Background: In vivo myelin imaging should be a key factor in the characterization of MS. Unfortunately anatomic MRI cannot image directly and univocally myelin and all the advanced indirect MR techniques (MWF, MT/qMT) either lack of specificity for myelin or are challenged by technical issues, overall preventing precise characterization of the pathology and/or therapeutic efficiency assessment. ihMT MRI has recently been proposed as a putative myelin-specific technique and preliminary studies demonstrated sensitivity for MS.
Methods: 25 relapsing-remitting MS patients and 20 sex/age-matched control subjects were scanned at 1.5T Siemens MRI using anatomic imaging for lesion segmentation, image registration/segmentation and ihMT imaging. IhMT and classical MT ratios maps were calculated and quantitative analysis was performed in MS lesion as well as normal appearing white and grey matter (NAWM, NAGM) and thalami.
Results: Statistical analyses confirmed that both ihMTR/MTR values clearly decreased in MS patients in several normal appearing myelinated tissues. Interestingly, the decrease of the ihMTR values appeared more pronounced in patients with the highest EDSS score. With regards to correlations with EDSS, differences between ihMTR and MTR were noticed. Significant (p< 0.05) negative correlations between ihMTR and EDSS were found in the internal capsule, frontal, temporal and occipital WM, corpus callosum and thalami. Weaker correlations were found for MTR, which were moreover significant in corpus callosum and thalami only.
Conclusion: Due to its superior specificity for myelin compared to MT, ihMT contrast could bring supplementary information on the severity of the disease by disentangling demyelination from other mechanisms occurring in MS. ihMT could also be implemented in future clinical trials for the evaluation of new molecules and treatment strategies to prevent demyelination and to stimulate remyelination.
Disclosure:
Mchinda: nothing to disclose
Van Obberghen: nothing to disclose
Le Troter: nothing to disclose
Prevost: nothing to disclose
Soulier: nothing to disclose
Viout: nothing to disclose
Varma: nothing to disclose
Guye: nothing to disclose
Ranjeva: nothing to disclose
Alsop: nothing to disclose
Pelletier: nothing to disclose