Spinal cord lesions and clinical status in multiple sclerosis: A 1.5 T and 3 T MRI study.
OBJECTIVE
Assess the relationship between spinal cord T2 hyperintense lesions and clinical status in multiple sclerosis (MS) with 1.5 and 3 T MRI.


METHODS
Whole cord T2-weighted fast spin-echo MRI was performed in 32 MS patients [Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score (mean+/-SD: 2+/-1.9), range 0-6.5]. Protocols at 1.5 T and 3 T were optimized and matched on voxel size.


RESULTS
Moderate correlations were found between whole cord lesion volume and EDSS score at 1.5 T (r(s)=.36, p=0.04), but not at 3 T (r(s)=0.13, p=0.46). Pyramidal Functional System Score (FSS) correlated with thoracic T2 lesion number (r(s)=.46, p=0.01) and total spinal cord lesion number (r(s)=0.37, p=0.04) and volume (r(s)=0.37, p=0.04) at 1.5 T. Bowel/bladder FSS correlated with T2 lesion volume and number in the cervical, thoracic, and total spine at 1.5 T (r(s) 0.40-0.57, all p<0.05). These MRI-FSS correlations were non-significant at 3 T. However, these correlation coefficients did not differ significantly between platforms (Choi's test p>0.05). Correlations between whole cord lesion volume and timed 25-foot walk were non-significant at 1.5 T and 3 T (p>0.05). Lesion number and volume did not differ between MRI platforms in the MS group (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the use of higher field MRI strength, the link between spinal lesions and MS disability remains weak. The 1.5 T and 3 T protocols yielded similar results for many comparisons.
Stankiewicz
J M
JM
Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Partners MS Center, Harvard Medical School, Brookline, MA 02445, USA.
Neema
M
M
Alsop
D C
DC
Healy
B C
BC
Arora
A
A
Buckle
G J
GJ
Chitnis
T
T
Guttmann
C R G
CR
Hackney
D
D
Bakshi
R
R
D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010641:Phenotype; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D016138:Walking; D055815:Young Adult