Background

In multiple sclerosis (MS), a subset of chronic active white matter lesions are identifiable on MRI by their paramagnetic rims, and increasing evidence supports their association with clinical disease severity.

Objectives

To assess the prevalence and MS-specificity of paramagnetic rim lesions (PRL) on 3-tesla susceptibility-based MR brain images in MS vs non-MS cases in a multicenter sample drawn from 5 academic research hospitals at sites in Europe (Brussels, Lausanne, Milan) and the United States (NIH and JHU).

Methods

On submillimetric 3D T2*-segmented EPI brain MRI, the presence of PRL and central vein sign (CVS) were evaluated in the supratentorial brain of adults with MS (n=329) and non-MS neurological conditions (n=83). Non-MS cases were grouped as follows: (1) other-inflammatory neurological diseases (n=41); (2) HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP; n=10); (3) HIV-infected (n=10); (4) non-inflammatory neurological diseases (n=22).

ROC curve analysis, with diagnosis as dependent variable (MS vs non-MS), was applied to examine the diagnostic accuracy for each biomarker (PRL and CVS). Youden’s index method was used to obtain the optimal cutoff value for each biomarker.

Results

PRL were detected in 172/329 (52%) of MS cases vs. 6/83 non-MS cases (7%).

In MS, 58% of progressive cases had at least one PRL, compared to 50% of relapsing cases. MS cases with more than 4 PRL were more likely to have higher disability scores (EDSS, MSSS and ARMSS), but not significantly longer disease duration or older age.

In non-MS cases, PRL were seen exclusively in only a few inflammatory/infectious neurological conditions, including Susac syndrome (3 cases), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (1 case), Sjögren disease (1 case) and HAM/TSP (1 case). Unlike in MS, PRL in non-MS cases were not associated with a high frequency of CVS+ lesions.

The identification of at least one PRL (optimal cutoff) was associated with high diagnostic specificity (93%), but relatively low sensitivity (52%) and accuracy (area under ROC curve=0.77), whereas CVS detection alone (optimal cutoff 35.5-38%) could better discriminate MS from non-MS cases with high specificity (96%), sensitivity (99%), and accuracy (area under ROC curve=0.99). The combination of the two biomarkers further improved the specificity (99%), but sensitivity remained low (59%).

Conclusions

PRL yielded high specificity for MS lesions. Future prospective multicenter studies should further validate its role as a diagnostic biomarker.

Background

Spinal cord atrophy contributes to disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), and its quantification along the entire spinal cord may be important to fully characterize the disease.

Objectives

We sought to characterize atrophy of the entire spinal cord in various multiple sclerosis phenotypes and determine its clinical correlates in a cross-sectional study. Further, we sought to evaluate its evolution in a longitudinal study of relapsing remitting MS (RRMS).

Methods

Axial T₁-weighted images perpendicular to cord edge were automatically reformatted at each point along the cord. Spinal cord cross‐sectional area (SCCSA) were calculated from C1-T10 vertebral body levels and profile plots were compared across phenotypes. Average values from C2-3, C4-5, and T4-9 regions were compared across phenotypes and correlated with clinical scores, then categorized as atrophic/normal based on z-scores derived from controls, to compare clinical scores between subgroups. In the subset of relapsing-remitting cases with longitudinal scans, cases showing clinical progression (progressive-disability group) were defined as those in whom change in EDSS was ≥ 1 , while all other cases were grouped as having stable-disability. A random coefficient model for longitudinal data was applied to evaluate the change of regional-SCCSA variables over time, including in the model the disability group (progressive vs. stable), age, and the interaction between disability group and age.

Results

The cross-sectional study consisted of 149 adults with RRMS, 49 with secondary-progressive MS, 58 with primary-progressive MS and 48 healthy controls. The longitudinal study included 78 RRMS cases. Compared to controls, all MS groups had smaller average regions except RRMS in T4-9 region. Measures from all regions of the RRMS cohort correlated with clinical measures, whereas the progressive cohorts had fewer clinical correlates. In the RRMS cohort, 23% of cases had at least one atrophic region, whereas in progressive MS the rate was almost 70%. Longitudinal analysis demonstrated a correlation between disability and cervical cord thinning, as the random coefficient model showed a significant interaction between groups (stable- vs. progressive-disability) and age for cervical regional-SCCSA variables, indicating that the rate of decrease in regional-SCCSA with age in the progressive disability group was significantly higher than that in the stable disability group (0.62 mm²/year vs. 0.07 mm²/year for C2–3, p=0.0015; 0.72 mm²/year vs. 0.29 mm²/year for C4–5, p=0.0038).

Conclusions

Spinal cord atrophy was demonstrated in all MS phenotypes, with SCCSA from all regions showing significant correlations with all clinical parameters in RRMS cohort. Longitudinal changes in the cervical regions were significantly higher in RRMS subjects showing clinical progression than those who did not. SCCSA is therefore a potential imaging marker for disease progression.