We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Quantitative T<sub>1</sub> brain mapping in early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: longitudinal changes, lesion heterogeneity and disability.
- Authors
Harper, James G.; York, Elizabeth N.; Meijboom, Rozanna; Kampaite, Agniete; Thrippleton, Michael J.; Kearns, Patrick K. A.; Valdés Hernández, Maria del C.; Chandran, Siddharthan; Waldman, Adam D.; Akula, Amit; Baranzini, Sergio; Barret, Fiona; Bastin, Mark; Batchelor, Chris; Beswick, Emily; Brown, Fraser; Brunton, Tracy; Carod Artal, Javier; Chang, Jessie; Chen, Yingdi
- Abstract
Objectives: To quantify brain microstructural changes in recently diagnosed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) using longitudinal T1 measures, and determine their associations with clinical disability. Methods: Seventy-nine people with recently diagnosed (< 6 months) RRMS were recruited from a single-centre cohort sub-study, and underwent baseline and 1-year brain MRI, including variable flip angle T1 mapping. Median T1 was measured in white matter lesions (WML), normal-appearing white matter (NAWM), cortical/deep grey matter (GM), thalami, basal ganglia and medial temporal regions. Prolonged T1 (≥ 2.00 s) and supramedian T1 (relative to cohort WML values) WML voxel counts were also measured. Longitudinal change was assessed with paired t-tests and compared with Bland-Altman limits of agreement from healthy control test-retest data. Regression analyses determined relationships with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score and dichotomised EDSS outcomes (worsening or stable/improving). Results: Sixty-two people with RRMS (mean age 37.2 ± 10.9 [standard deviation], 48 female) and 11 healthy controls (age 44 ± 11, 7 female) contributed data. Prolonged and supramedian T1 WML components increased longitudinally (176 and 463 voxels, respectively; p <.001), and were associated with EDSS score at baseline (p <.05) and follow-up (supramedian: p <.01; prolonged: p <.05). No cohort-wide median T1 changes were found; however, increasing T1 in WML, NAWM, cortical/deep GM, basal ganglia and thalami was positively associated with EDSS worsening (p <.05). Conclusion: T1 is sensitive to brain microstructure changes in early RRMS. Prolonged WML T1 components and subtle changes in NAWM and GM structures are associated with disability. Clinical relevance statement: MRI T1 brain mapping quantifies disability-associated white matter lesion heterogeneity and subtle microstructural damage in normal-appearing brain parenchyma in recently diagnosed RRMS, and shows promise for early objective disease characterisation and stratification. Key Points: • Quantitative T1 mapping detects brain microstructural damage and lesion heterogeneity in recently diagnosed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. • T1 increases in lesions and normal-appearing parenchyma, indicating microstructural damage, are associated with worsening disability. • Brain T1 measures are objective markers of disability-relevant pathology in early multiple sclerosis.
- Subjects
BRAIN mapping; MULTIPLE sclerosis; DISEASE relapse; WHITE matter (Nerve tissue); BASAL ganglia; PEOPLE with disabilities
- Publication
European Radiology, 2024, Vol 34, Issue 6, p3826
- ISSN
0938-7994
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00330-023-10351-6