Multiple sclerosis lesions: relationship between MR enhancement pattern and magnetization transfer effect.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between the enhancement pattern of a multiple sclerosis lesion and its magnetization transfer effect.


METHODS
Fifty-four lesions were chosen from 29 patients with multiple sclerosis on the basis of enhancement pattern on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR images. They included 14 homogeneously enhancing lesions, 26 nonenhancing lesions, and 14 ring-enhancing lesions. Magnetization transfer ratios of the homogeneously enhancing lesions, nonenhancing lesions, and central portion of the ring-enhancing lesions were measured. Means were calculated and compared.


RESULTS
The magnetization transfer ratios for homogeneously enhancing lesions were higher (mean, 32.2%; SD, 3.4%) than those for nonenhancing lesions (mean 29.4%; SD, 4.3%) and for the central portion of ring-enhancing lesions (mean, 24.5%; SD, 4.0%). Significant differences were found between the ring-enhancing lesions and the homogeneously enhancing lesions and between the ring-enhancing lesions and the nonenhancing lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
We found a relationship between decreased magnetization transfer ratios and those enhancement patterns in which myelin is known to be decreased histopathologically. Thus, use of the magnetization transfer technique may increase the specificity of MR imaging in assessing the extent of residual myelination in multiple sclerosis lesions.
Petrella
J R
JR
Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Grossman
R I
RI
McGowan
J C
JC
Campbell
G
G
Cohen
J A
JA
D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000175:diagnosis; D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005119:Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials / Q000175:diagnosis; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008536:Meglumine; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA