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T1 relaxation maps allow differentiation between pathologic tissue subsets in relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

Department of Radiology, Scientific Institute Fondazione S. Lucia, Rome, Italy, Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Scientific Institute Fondazione S. Lucia, Rome, Italy, scanderbeg{at}hsantalucia.it

F Fasano

Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Scientific Institute Fondazione S. Lucia, Rome, Italy

M Filippi

Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy

C Caltagirone

Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, Scientific Institute Fondazione S. Lucia and Università ‘Tor Vergata’, Rome, Italy

In an attempt to clarify whether T₁ relaxation time mapping may assist in characterizing the pathological brain tissue substrate of multiple sclerosis (MS), we compared the T₁ relaxation times of lesions, areas of normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) located proximal to lesions, and areas of NAWM located distant from lesions in 12 patients with the relapsing-remitting and 12 with the secondary progressive (SP) subtype of disease. Nine healthy volunteers served as controls. Calculated mean T₁ values were averaged across all patients within each clinical group, and comparisons were made by means of the Mann-Whitney U-test. Significant differences were found between all investigated brain regions within each clinical subgroup. Significant differences were also detected for each investigated brain region among clinical subgroups. While T₁ values of NAWM were significantly higher in patients with SP disease than in normal white matter (NWM) of controls, no differences were detected when corresponding brain areas of patients with RR MS were compared with NWM of controls. T₁ maps identify areas of the brain that are damaged to a different extent in patients with MS, and may be of help in monitoring disease progression.

Key Words: multiple sclerosis • relapsing-remitting • secondary progressive • T1 relaxation time

Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 10, No. 5, 556-561 (2004)
DOI: 10.1191/1352458504ms1073oa


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