title: Identification of cortical lesions using DIR and FLAIR in early stages of multiple sclerosis.
abstract: The use of non-routine MRI sequences such as DIR has highlighted the role of gray matter (GM) pathology in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to assess the detection and relevance of cortical lesions (CLs) using MRI in early (<5 years) MS patients. 3D DIR and 3D FLAIR images at 3T from 122 patients [93 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), 29 clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)] were scored for CLs by two blinded readers. Patients were divided into two groups depending on the presence or absence of CLs. For FLAIR, 51 CLs were identified, of which 13 were purely intracortical and 38 mixed CLs; for DIR, this was 60 in total and 16 and 44, respectively. In both groups, there was no difference in GM fraction. Neuropsychological testing was performed for a subgroup of 66 patients. In 22.1 % of patients CLs were identified. The number of CLs revealed an association with lower working memory scores and semantical word fluency. Overall, CLs imaged with 3D FLAIR and 3D DIR sequences are found more frequently in RRMS patients than CIS and may also be a correlate for mild neuropsychological pathology.
authors: Department of Neurology, Neuroimaging Center (NIC) of the Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Kolber
authors: Swantje
authors: S
authors: Montag
authors: Vinzenz
authors: V
authors: Fleischer
authors: Felix
authors: F
authors: Luessi
authors: Janine
authors: J
authors: Wilting
authors: Joachim
authors: J
authors: Gawehn
authors: Adriane
authors: A
authors: Gröger
authors: Frauke
authors: F
authors: Zipp
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult