Spinal cord quantitative MRI discriminates between disability levels in multiple sclerosis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The clinicoradiologic paradox, or disconnect between clinical and radiologic findings, is frequently encountered in multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly in the spinal cord (SC), where lesions are expected to cause clinical impairment. We aimed to assess whether quantitative diffusion tensor and magnetization transfer imaging measures in the SC can distinguish MS cases of comparable lesion burdens with high and low disability.

Methods

One hundred twenty-four patients with MS underwent 3-T cervical SC MRI and were categorized into 4 subgroups according to SC lesion count and disability level. Regions of interest circumscribed the SC cross-section axially between C3 and C4. Cross-sectional area, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), perpendicular diffusi

SUBMITTER: Oh J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3589285 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature