Quantitative Assessment of Iron Accumulation in the Deep Gray Matter of Multiple Sclerosis by Magnetic Field Correlation Imaging

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Deposition of iron has been recognized recently as an important factor of pathophysiologic change including neurodegenerative processes in multiple sclerosis (MS). We propose that there is an excess accumulation of iron in the deep gray matter in patients with MS that can be measured with a newly developed quantitative MR technique-magnetic field correlation (MFC) imaging.

Multiple Sclerosis and Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency: The Neuroimaging Perspective

“…16 Among other techniques, susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) has been applied to assess iron deposition and cerebral venous oxygen level changes in patients with MS. These studies have confirmed previous results based on different MR imaging modalities 13,[17][18][19][20][21] and have shown an increased iron concentration in the deep gray matter (GM) nuclei in patients with MS compared with healthy controls. 22,23 In a pilot study of 16 patients with RRMS, such an increased iron concentration was related to the number of abnormal venous sonographic criteria fulfilled.…”

Toward a Better Understanding of Brain Lesions during Metachromatic Leukodystrophy Evolution

“…24 Therefore, the main hypotheses to explain the thalamic T2 hypointensity in MLD are sulfatide deposits that alter the viscosity and an accumulation of iron. It is also interesting to compare this with the low thalamic T2 signal intensity observed in multiple sclerosis, 25 for which several hypotheses have been proposed, including hypometabolism of iron, a breakdown in the blood-brain barrier, and an increase in free radical levels causing membrane peroxidation and thus iron deposition. The hypointensity is reported to be directly correlated with WM involvement, cerebral atrophy, and the degree of clinical disability.…”

Iron Deposition on SWI-Filtered Phase in the Subcortical Deep Gray Matter of Patients with Clinically Isolated Syndrome May Precede Structure-Specific Atrophy

“…24,25 More recently, MR imaging techniques, such as T2 relaxometry, [17][18][19] T2 hypointensity, [14][15][16]30,39 magnetic field correlation, 20 and SWI [21][22][23]40 have been used to quantify and visualize iron deposition in vivo. Looking at changes in T2 intensity is a relatively straightforward method of evaluating iron content, because increased levels of iron result in reduced T2 relaxation time, leading to hypointensity on T2-weighted images.…”

“…1 GM damage is most extensive in patients with progressive MS, 2 but is already present in those with CIS [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] and can predict conversion to clinically definite MS. [11][12][13] Most authors investigating iron deposition in MS have used imaging techniques such as T2 hypointensity, [14][15][16] relaxometry, [17][18][19] magnetic field correlation, 20 and SWI. [21][22][23] Accumulation of iron in the SDGM has also been observed histologically in MS, 24,25 and iron deposition has been detected in the same SDGM structures where the volume loss also occurred.…”