Brain MRI lesion load at 1.5T and 3T versus clinical status in multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Journal of neuroimaging Vol. 21; no. 2; p. e50
• Main Authors: Stankiewicz, James M, Glanz, Bonnie I, Healy, Brian C, Arora, Ashish, Neema, Mohit, Benedict, Ralph H B, Guss, Zachary D, Tauhid, Shahamat, Buckle, Guy J, Houtchens, Maria K, Khoury, Samia J, Weiner, Howard L, Guttmann, Charles R G, Bakshi, Rohit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.04.2011
• Subjects: Adult; Brain - physiopathology; Case-Control Studies; Cognition Disorders - physiopathology; Disability Evaluation; Female; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis - physiopathology; Neuropsychological Tests; Sensitivity and Specificity; Statistics, Nonparametric; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 1552-6569
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1552-6569.2009.00449.x

To assess correlation between brain lesions and clinical status with 1.5T and 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Brain MRI fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) sequences were performed in 32 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score (mean±standard deviation) was 2±2.0 (range 0-8), disease duration 9.3±8.0 (range .8-29) years. FLAIR lesion volume (FLLV) at 3T was higher than at 1.5T (P=.01). Correlation between 1.5T FLLV and EDSS score was poor, while 3T FLLV correlated moderately and significantly (rs=.39, P=.03). When controlling for age and depression, correlations between FLLV and cognitive measures were significant at 1.5T for the Judgment of Line Orientation test (JLO) (rs=-.44, P=.05), the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) (rs=-.49, P=.02), and the California Verbal Learning Test Delayed Free Recall (CVLT DR) (rs=-.44, P=.04). Correlations at 3T were also significant for these tests, but of greater magnitude: JLO (rs=-.70, P=.0005), SDMT (rs=-.73, P=.0001), CVLT DR (rs=-.061, P=.003). Additional significant correlations obtained only at 3T included the 2 second-paced auditory serial addition test (rs=-.55, P=.01), the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Delayed Free Recall (rs=-.56, P=.007), and the California Verbal Learning Test Total Recall (rs=-.42, P=.05). MRI at 3T may boost sensitivity and improve validity in MS brain lesion assessment.