Journal article
A 3T MR Imaging Investigation of the Topography of Whole Spinal Cord Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis
American journal of neuroradiology : AJNR, Vol.32(6), pp.1138-1142
06/01/2011
DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.A2459
PMCID: PMC3361764
PMID: 21527570
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Spinal cord atrophy is a common feature of MS. However, it is unknown which cord levels are most susceptible to atrophy. We performed whole cord imaging to identify the levels most susceptible to atrophy in patients with MS versus controls and also tested for differences among MS clinical phenotypes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients with MS (2 with CIS, 27 with RRMS, 2 with SPMS, and 4 with PPMS phenotypes) and 27 healthy controls underwent whole cord 3T MR imaging. The spinal cord contour was segmented and assigned to bins representing each Cl to T12 vertebral level. Volumes were normalized, and group comparisons were age-adjusted.
RESULTS: There was a trend toward decreased spinal cord volume at the upper cervical levels in PPMS/SPMS versus controls. A trend toward increased spinal cord volume throughout the cervical and thoracic cord in RRMS/CIS versus controls reached statistical significance at the 110 vertebral level. A statistically significant decrease was found in spinal cord volume at the upper cervical levels in PPMS/SPMS versus RRMS/CIS.
CONCLUSIONS: Opposing pathologic factors impact spinal cord volume measures in MS. Patients with PPMS demonstrated a trend toward upper cervical cord atrophy. However patients with RRMS showed a trend toward increased volume at the cervical and thoracic levels, which most likely reflects inflammation or edema-related cord expansion. With the disease causing both expansion and contraction of the cord, the specificity of spinal cord volume measures for neuroprotective therapeutic effect may be limited.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A 3T MR Imaging Investigation of the Topography of Whole Spinal Cord Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis
- Creators
- J. P. Klein - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterA. Arora - Brigham and Women's HospitalM. Neema - Brigham and Women's HospitalB. C. Healy - Brigham and Women's HospitalS. Tauhid - Brigham and Women's HospitalD. Goldberg-Zimring - Brigham and Women's HospitalC. Chavarro-Nieto - Brigham and Women's HospitalJ. M. Stankiewicz - Brigham and Women's HospitalA. B. Cohen - Brigham and Women's HospitalG. J. Buckle - Brigham and Women's HospitalM. K. Houtchens - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterA. Ceccarelli - American Academy of NeurologyE. Dell'Oglio - Brigham and Women's HospitalC. R. G. Guttmann - Brigham and Women's HospitalD. C. Alsop - Brigham and Women's HospitalD. B. Hackney - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterR. Bakshi - Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of neuroradiology : AJNR, Vol.32(6), pp.1138-1142
- Publisher
- Amer Soc Neuroradiology
- DOI
- 10.3174/ajnr.A2459
- PMID
- 21527570
- PMCID
- PMC3361764
- ISSN
- 0195-6108
- eISSN
- 1936-959X
- Number of pages
- 5
- Grant note
- Teva Pharmaceuticals; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Teva Neuroscience; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries RG3705A1; RG3798A2 / National Multiple Sclerosis Society Novartis R01NS055083-01 / National Institutes of Health; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA EMD-Serono GE Healthcare; General Electric R01NS055083 / NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke (NINDS) Accorda Merck-Serono; Merck & Company Bayer; Bayer AG Biogen Biogen Idec; Biogen
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/01/2011
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry
- Record Identifier
- 9984627311002771
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