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  • Title: Magnetization transfer magnetic resonance imaging and clinical changes in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
    Author: Oreja-Guevara C, Charil A, Caputo D, Cavarretta R, Sormani MP, Filippi M.
    Journal: Arch Neurol; 2006 May; 63(5):736-40. PubMed ID: 16682543.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Magnetization transfer (MT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide in vivo quantitative estimates of microscopic tissue damage in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and gray matter (GM) from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a one-time MT MRI can provide markers of short-term disease evolution in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. DESIGN: Eighteen-month observational study. SETTING: Neuroimaging Research Unit, Scientific Institute and University Ospedale San Raffaele. PATIENTS: Twenty-two patients with untreated relapsing-remitting MS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relapse rate; disability according to the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS); dual-echo, 2-dimensional gradient echo with and without a saturation MT pulse and T1-weighted MRIs of the brain; and MT ratio (MTR) histograms for NAWM and GM. RESULTS: During the study period, 13 patients (59%) experienced 25 relapses. The median EDSS score was 1.25 (range, 0-3.5) at study entry and 1.75 (range, 0-3) at study exit. Significant, although moderate, correlations were found between average GM MTR values at baseline and EDSS changes during the study period (r = -0.44; P = .04). A trend was observed for the correlation between NAWM MTR values at baseline and the EDSS changes throughout 18 months (r = -0.42; P = .05). For the relation between EDSS changes and baseline GM MTR, the slope of the regression line was -0.5 (95% confidence interval, -1.0 to 0.0), indicating that a decrease in the baseline GM MTR of 1% predicted an increase in the EDSS score of 0.5 point throughout the 18 months. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that a "snapshot" MT MRI assessment detects subtle brain tissue changes that are associated with short-term disability accumulation in patients with relapsing-remitting MS.
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