Infratentorial lesion volume correlates with sensory functional system in multiple sclerosis patients: a 3.0-Tesla MRI study

• Published in: Radiologia medica Vol. 115; no. 1; pp. 115 - 124
• Main Authors: Quattrocchi, C. C., Cherubini, A., Luccichenti, G., Grasso, M. G., Nocentini, U., Beomonte Zobel, B., Sabatini, U.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Italian
• Published: Milan Springer Milan 01.02.2010
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Algorithms; Brain Stem - pathology; Brain Stem - physiopathology; Cerebellum - pathology; Cerebellum - physiopathology; Diagnostic Radiology; Disability Evaluation; Female; Humans; Imaging; Interventional Radiology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis - pathology; Multiple Sclerosis - physiopathology; Neuroradiologia; Neuroradiology; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity of Illness Index; Ultrasound; Multiple sclerosis; Magnetic resonance imaging; Volume lesionale; Risonanza magnetica; Correlazione clinica; Lesion volume; Clinical correlation; Sclerosi multipla
• ISSN: 0033-8362; 1826-6983
• DOI: 10.1007/s11547-009-0477-7

Purpose This study sought to correlate lesion volume in infratentorial areas using 3.0-T proton-density (PD)-weighted images with disability scales and appropriate functional system scores in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Materials and methods We examined 20 consecutive patients (13 women and 7 men) with a median age of 47 years (range 26–70). Neurological examination included the Expanded Disability Status Scale and its functional systems, the Barthel Index (BI) and the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI). MRI scans were performed on a system operating at 3.0 T using a quadrature birdcage head coil. Acquired images imported as Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) files, and the region of interest (ROI) files were converted to Neuroimaging Informatics Technology Initiative (NIfTI) format and normalised to the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) standard template. An automated segmentation algorithm was used to distinguish between supratentorial and infratentorial areas. Normalisation to the magnetisation-prepared rapid acquisition with gradient echo (MPRAGE) T1-weighted sequence allowed lesion volume estimation in the different anatomical areas. Results A significant correlation was found between infratentorial lesion volume and the sensory functional system score (rho=0.76, p =0.002). No significant correlation was found between supratentorial lesion volume and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), RMI and BI scores. Conclusions The described method, by means of anatomical assignment of MS lesions, allows detection of significant correlation coefficients between clinical and MRI lesion burden in MS patients at the infratentorial level.