title: Spin-spin relaxation of brain tissues in systemic lupus erythematosus. A method for increasing the sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging for neuropsychiatric lupus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To correlate the spin-spin relaxation time (T2) of brain tissue in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) with the patient's clinical condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  T2 values were determined in 54 SLE patients and 45 non-SLE controls at 1.5 Tesla, using intensity from multi-echo magnetic resonance (MR) images fitted to an exponential decay curve with rate-constant T2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The T2 of white matter was increased in SLE patients compared with controls (P = 0.01) and was increased in those patients who had previously experienced major NPSLE: Patients with acute diffuse neurologic manifestations (seizures, psychosis, coma) demonstrated a longer T2 of the gray matter (mean +/- SD 92.75 +/- 6.35 ms, n = 10) than did other SLE patients (mean +/- SD 79.61 +/- 5.04 ms, n = 44) (P = 0.02 by t-test), which suggests acute cerebral edema. The mean T2 values of reversible and nonreversible focal lesions were significantly different (P < 0.02), indicating different microenvironments and micropathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quantitative T2 measurement extends the utility and sensitivity of conventional MR imaging for evaluating NPSLE:
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131, USA.
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Sibbitt
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Haseler
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Griffey
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Sibbitt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D003128:Coma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors