Voxel-Wise Time-Series Analysis of Quantitative MRI in Relapsing-Remitting MS: Dynamic Imaging Metrics of Disease Activity Including Pre-Lesional Changes.

摘要

Previous MRI studies in MS have retrospectively analyzed normal- appearing brain tissue in locations where typical MS lesions ultimately appeared, finding pre-lesional changes in several MRI metrics. However, studies have not been entirely consistent and the development of a prototypical MS lesion cannot as yet be prospectively predicted. The primary objective of this project is to validate the 'preactive' lesion hypothesis in MS by identifying the spatiotemporal imaging signature of white matter destined to undergo acute, focal inflammation and demyelinationspecifically, one that will allow reliable, prospective detection of nascent lesions before they appear on conventional (non-quantitative) imaging. The specific aim is to acquire a longitudinal set of quantitative MRI metrics in MS patients and perform a multivariate spatiotemporal analysis of pre-lesional, normal-appearing white matter, seeking spatially clustered interval changes that presage the appearance of a typical MS plaque. Over the past year, the quantitative MRI protocol has been developed and optimized; enrollment and scanning of subjects is awaiting IRB approval of the study protocol, which is imminent.