Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping of Multiple Sclerosis Lesions at Various Ages

Abstract

Magnetic susceptibility of MS lesions increased rapidly as it changed from enhanced to nonenhanced, it attained a high susceptibility value relative to NAWM during its initial few years (approximately 4 years), and it gradually dissipated back to susceptibility similar to that of NAWM as it aged, which may provide new insight into pathophysiologic features of MS lesions. Online supplemental material is available for this article.

A pilot, longitudinal, 24-week study to evaluate the effect of interferon beta-1a subcutaneous on changes in susceptibility-weighted imaging-filtered phase assessment of lesions and subcortical deep-gray matter in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis

“…In a recent study in patients with clinically isolated syndrome who converted to clinically definite MS within a 3-year follow-up period versus those who did not, converters had significantly (p = 0.008) more phase lesions, but not T2WM or T1WM lesions; although the phase contrast could have been influenced by demyelination or other factors, the predictive value of phase lesions could imply a role in early disease pathology [Hagemeier et al 2014]. These findings are in line with observations that phase contrast observed in MS WM lesions is dynamic and may be visible at early disease onset [Yablonskiy et al 2012;Chen et al 2014]. However, others have reported that ringlike phase WM lesions remained unchanged over several years [Bian et al 2013].…”

Quantitative susceptibility mapping in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: detection of abnormalities in normal-appearing basal ganglia

“…The positive correlation between the QSM values in the putamen and the disease duration in the NPSLE patients also supports the assumption that the accumulation of iron in the putamen occurs as a by-product of pathophysiologic processes of this disease. In previous studies with multiple sclerosis, the investigators also suggest that the susceptibility/iron differences may be caused not only by demyelination but also inflammation [9][10][11][12][13][14]. Another possible explanation is that disruption of the axonal transportation of iron due to SLE-related brain damage results in the deposition of iron in the putamen.…”

“…However, SLE fundamentally involves inflammation, which is very difficult to detect using these radiographic techniques [8]. There have been substantial developments in iron-sensitive MRI to detect inflammation, such as in another neuroinflammatory disease, multiple sclerosis, that involves microglia/macrophages loaded with iron [9][10][11][12][13][14]. Accordingly, we propose to apply an ironquantification MRI technique, quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), to SLE brains to investigate possible ironassociated changes in NPSLE brains.…”

Iron chelation in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

“…In MS plaques, increased iron concentration either in the peripheral rim or diffusely within the lesion has been documented in the subacute stage of the lesion evolution. Longitudinal MRI studies show that iron is not present in the acute contrast-enhancing stage, but then iron gradually accumulates over several weeks to months and eventually disappears in the chronic stage, approximately four years after the lesion originated [160][161][162].…”