Longitudinal Study of Iron Deposition and Volume in the Precentral Gyrus in Patients with Relapse-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

摘要

Objective: To longitudinally assess dynamic changes of iron deposition and volume of the precentral gyrus and its correlation with clinical manifestations of Relapse-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis(RRMS) by using 3D enhanced T2* weighted angiography(ESWAN). Methods: Thirty RRMS patients and thirty age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited and underwent ESWAN and 3D T1WI twice interval of one year with the same parameters. The mean phase values (MPVs) and volumes in precentral gyrus gray matter (PGM) were measured, and change of iron content and its correlation with volume, clinical manifestations were analyzed. Results: Compared with controls, the RRMS had higher iron deposition in both single-time measurements, but the volume decreased. Comparing to the first scan, we found significant difference in MPVs between the two times (P rs = 0.764, P rs = 0.592, P rs = 0.582, P rs = -0.399, P rs = -0.745, P rs = -0.367, P Conclusions: With the disease progression, the content of iron in PGM in RRMS patients is increasing, while the volume has no obvious change, suggesting that the iron deposition may precede or develop faster than cerebral atrophy.