title: High-resolution myelin water imaging in post-mortem multiple sclerosis spinal cord: A case report.
abstract: Loss of myelin in the spinal cord in multiple sclerosis (MS) is likely an important, and early, contributor to atrophy and associated disability. In vivo measurement of myelin is possible using myelin water fraction (MWF) imaging, but MWF has never been assessed in MS along the entire length of the spinal cord in vivo or in post-mortem tissue.
  
  
  
  To assess the feasibility of measuring the distribution of MWF along the entire length of the spinal cord in post-mortem MS tissue using high-field MRI.
  
  
  
  One formalin-fixed spinal cord from a female with secondary progressive MS (age: 78 years, disease duration: 25 years) was cut into 104 5-mm-thick cross sections along the entire length of the spinal cord from the cervico-medullary junction to the conus medullaris and imaged using a 64 echo T2 relaxation experiment at 7T.
  
  
  
  Myelin water maps showed cord anatomy in superb detail, white matter demonstrating a higher MWF than the grey matter. Anatomical variation in myelin distribution along cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions was observed. Lesions demonstrated myelin loss.
  
  
  
  Post-mortem myelin water imaging of formalin-fixed MS spinal cord is feasible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada/Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada/International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada corree@physics.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laule
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada/International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Vlady
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pavolva
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bohnet
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada/International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kozlowski
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Stanley A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada/Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: David Kb
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada/International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada/Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Gr Wayne
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009186:Myelin Sheath; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: MRI; Multiple sclerosis; demyelination; histology; myelin; spinal cord