title: In vivo dentate nucleus MRI relaxometry correlates with previous administration of Gadolinium-based contrast agents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate changes in T1 and T2* relaxometry of dentate nuclei (DN) with respect to the number of previous administrations of Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA).
  
  
  METHODS
  In 74 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS) patients with variable disease duration (9.8±6.8 years) and severity (Expanded Disability Status Scale scores:3.1±0.9), the DN R1 (1/T1) and R2* (1/T2*) relaxation rates were measured using two unenhanced 3D Dual-Echo spoiled Gradient-Echo sequences with different flip angles. Correlations of the number of previous GBCA administrations with DN R1 and R2* relaxation rates were tested, including gender and age effect, in a multivariate regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The DN R1 (normalized by brainstem) significantly correlated with the number of GBCA administrations (p<0.001), maintaining the same significance even when including MS-related factors. Instead, the DN R2* values correlated only with age (p=0.003), and not with GBCA administrations (p=0.67). In a subgroup of 35 patients for whom the administered GBCA subtype was known, the effect of GBCA on DN R1 appeared mainly related to linear GBCA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In RR-MS patients, the number of previous GBCA administrations correlates with R1 relaxation rates of DN, while R2* values remain unaffected, suggesting that T1-shortening in these patients is related to the amount of Gadolinium given.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • In multiple sclerosis, previous Gadolinium administrations correlate with dentate nuclei T1 relaxometry. • Such correlation is linked to linear Gadolinium chelates and unrelated to disease duration or severity. • Dentate nuclei T2* relaxometry is age-related and independent of previous Gadolinium administrations. • Changes in dentate nuclei T1 relaxometry are not determined by iron accumulation. • MR relaxometry can quantitatively assess Gadolinium accumulation in dentate nuclei.
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Sergio Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy. enrico.tedeschi@unina.it.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0511-0132
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tedeschi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Sergio Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canna
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Sergio Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Sirio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cocozza
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Sergio Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: IRCCS SDN, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borrelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lanzillo
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Sergio Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Postiglione
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo Brescia
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Morra
authors.affiliation: IRCCS SDN, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.affiliation: Neuroradiology, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Sergio Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quarantelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002529:Cerebellar Nuclei / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium
keywords: Dentate nucleus; Gadolinium; MRI contrast media; Multiple Sclerosis; Relaxometry