We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
What contributes to disability in progressive MS? A brain and cervical cord–matched quantitative MRI study.
- Authors
Tur, Carmen; Battiston, Marco; Yiannakas, Marios C; Collorone, Sara; Calvi, Alberto; Prados, Ferran; Kanber, Baris; Grussu, Francesco; Ricciardi, Antonio; Pajak, Patrizia; Martinelli, Daniele; Schneider, Torben; Ciccarelli, Olga; Samson, Rebecca S; Wheeler-Kingshott, Claudia AM Gandini
- Abstract
Background: We assessed the ability of a brain-and-cord-matched quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) protocol to differentiate patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS) from controls, in terms of normal-appearing (NA) tissue abnormalities, and explain disability. Methods: A total of 27 patients and 16 controls were assessed on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), 25-foot timed walk (TWT), 9-hole peg (9HPT) and symbol digit modalities (SDMT) tests. All underwent 3T brain and (C2-C3) cord structural imaging and qMRI (relaxometry, quantitative magnetisation transfer, multi-shell diffusion-weighted imaging), using a fast brain-and-cord–matched protocol with brain-and-cord–unified imaging readouts. Lesion and NA-tissue volumes and qMRI metrics reflecting demyelination and axonal loss were obtained. Random forest analyses identified the most relevant volumetric/qMRI measures to clinical outcomes. Confounder-adjusted linear regression estimated the actual MRI-clinical associations. Results: Several qMRI/volumetric differences between patients and controls were observed (p < 0.01). Higher NA-deep grey matter quantitative-T1 (EDSS: beta = 7.96, p = 0.006; 9HPT: beta = −0.09, p = 0.004), higher NA-white matter orientation dispersion index (TWT: beta = −3.21, p = 0.005; SDMT: beta = −847.10, p < 0.001), lower whole-cord bound pool fraction (9HPT: beta = 0.79, p = 0.001) and higher NA-cortical grey matter quantitative-T1 (SDMT = −94.31, p < 0.001) emerged as particularly relevant predictors of greater disability. Conclusion: Fast brain-and-cord–matched qMRI protocols are feasible and identify demyelination – combined with other mechanisms – as key for disability accumulation in PMS.
- Publication
Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 2024, Vol 30, Issue 4/5, p516
- ISSN
1352-4585
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/13524585241229969