Abstract Details

Title Quantitative Analysis of MS Lesion in Cervical Spinal Cord (CSC) using Ultrahigh-b DWI (UHb-DWI)

Topic Multiple Sclerosis

Presentation(s) P15 - Poster Session 15 (5:30 PM-6:30 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 12-006

Background Spinal cord injury in MS can cause major disabilities due to varying degrees of axonal demyelination and/or damage. Unfortunately, current conventional MRI have limited ability to detect MS with high specificity. Our UHb-rDWI quantitatively observes water diffusivity in intra-/extra-axonal spaces in CSC WM of MS patients to provide greater insight into CSC pathology with respect to demyelination, inflammation, and axonal damage. We present UHb-rDWI as a powerful tool to improve MS patient care.

Objective To investigate UHb-rDWI signal in CSC White-matter and compare quantitative values between healthy control WM with both MS NAWM and MS WM lesions.

Design/Methods Seven patients (five RRMS, two 2PSM) and seven healthy controls were selected with consent to participate in this IRB-approved study. RRMS patients had relapses, corticosteroid therapy, and clinical MRI scans of the CSC. Two patients (MS1: 48-yr-old male, MS2: 22-yr-old female) are presented in this abstract. UHb-DWI data were acquired with b_maxof 8800 s/mm²at a 3T MRI system using 2D ss-DWSTEPI-rFOV pulse sequence and a CSC-dedicated 8-channel array coil. Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) was used to estimate the degree of demyelination.

Results The high-b diffusivity D_H were measured as (0.767±0.297)x10^-3 mm²/s in the posterior column lesions, averaged over 6 MS patients, and 0.587x10^-3 mm²/s in the corticospinal tract for another patient. The averaged D_H of the 7 healthy volunteers were (0.0312±0.0306)x10^-3and (0.0505±0.0205)x10^-3 mm²/s at the posterior and lateral column, respectively. MCS suggested approximately 30% and 15% demyelination in MS1, and 40% and 15% demyelination in MS2, in the lesion and NAWM, respectively.

Conclusions UHb-DWI of the CSC reveals a marked difference in signal-b-curves and D_H values in MS lesions compared to NAWM and healthy control WM. Therefore, our UHb-rDWI method can be a powerful tool to provide quantitative evaluation of the degree of axonal damage in MS lesions.

Authors/Disclosures
Kyle E. Jeong, PhD (University of Utah) PRESENTER	Dr. Jeong has nothing to disclose.
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
	No disclosure on file
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	No disclosure on file
Noel Carlson, PhD (VA SLC HCS)	The institution of Mr. Carlson has received research support from Biogen. Mr. Carlson has received personal compensation in the range of $100,000-$499,999 for serving as a Employee as a Researcher with Veteran Affairs.
	No disclosure on file
John W. Rose, MD, FAAN (Imaging and Neurosciences Center)	The institution of Dr. Rose has received research support from National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The institution of Dr. Rose has received research support from Guthy Jackson Charitable Foundation. The institution of Dr. Rose has received research support from NIH . The institution of Dr. Rose has received research support from VA. The institution of Dr. Rose has received research support from Biogen. The institution of Dr. Rose has received research support from Friends of MS. Dr. Rose has received intellectual property interests from a discovery or technology relating to health care.