title: Correlation of magnetic resonance imaging parameters with clinical disability in multiple sclerosis: a preliminary study.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used to monitor new treatments in multiple sclerosis (MS), but its role is limited by the uncertain relationship between MRI parameters and clinical disability. A brain MRI study using nine MRI parameters was undertaken in 15 MS patients with a wide spectrum of disability to evaluate the relationship between each parameter and disability. A strong correlation was found between disability (measured using Kurtzke's EDSS) and total lesion load on both proton density (PD; r = 0.79) and T1 (r = 0.71) weighted sequences. There was also a strong correlation of disability with average lesion magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR; r = -0.74) and calculated T1 (r = 0.71) but not with calculated T2 or the average signal intensity of lesions on the conventional T1-weighted, PD-weighted and heavily T2-weighted images. Thus, four parameters which measured either the extent of lesions (PD lesion load) or their pathological severity (MTR, calculated T1, hypointense T1-lesion load) were correlated significantly with disability. While this suggests that such parameters will be useful in treatment trial monitoring, further multi-parameter MRI studies, of larger cohorts and using a wider range of techniques, are indicated.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Clinical Neurology, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grimaud
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: MacManus
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Tofts
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*