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Lipka A, Bogner W, Dal-Bianco A, Hangel GJ, Rommer PS, Strasser B, Motyka S, Hingerl L, Berger T, Leutmezer F, Gruber S, Trattnig S, Niess E. Metabolic Insights into Iron Deposition in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis via 7 T Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 40:103524. [PMID: 37839194 PMCID: PMC10590870 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the metabolic pattern of different types of iron accumulation in multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions, and compare metabolic alterations within and at the periphery of lesions and newly emerging lesions in vivo according to iron deposition. METHODS 7 T MR spectroscopic imaging and susceptibility-weighted imaging was performed in 31 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (16 female/15 male; mean age, 36.9 ± 10.3 years). Mean metabolic ratios of four neuro-metabolites were calculated for regions of interest (ROI) of normal appearing white matter (NAWM), "non-iron" (lesion without iron accumulation on SWI), and three distinct types of iron-laden lesions ("rim": distinct rim-shaped iron accumulation; "area": iron deposition across the entire lesions; "transition": transition between "area" and "rim" accumulation shape), and for lesion layers of "non-iron" and "rim" lesions. Furthermore, newly emerging "non-iron" and "iron" lesions were compared longitudinally, as measured before their appearance and one year later. RESULTS Thirty-nine of 75 iron-containing lesions showed no distinct paramagnetic rim. Of these, "area" lesions exhibited a 65% higher mIns/tNAA (p = 0.035) than "rim" lesions. Comparing lesion layers of both "non-iron" and "rim" lesions, a steeper metabolic gradient of mIns/tNAA ("non-iron" +15%, "rim" +40%) and tNAA/tCr ("non-iron" -15%, "rim" -35%) was found in "iron" lesions, with the lesion core showing +22% higher mIns/tNAA (p = 0.005) and -23% lower tNAA/tCr (p = 0.048) in "iron" compared to "non-iron" lesions. In newly emerging lesions, 18 of 39 showed iron accumulation, with the drop in tNAA/tCr after lesion formation remaining significantly lower compared to pre-lesional tissue over time in "iron" lesions (year 0: p = 0.013, year 1: p = 0.041) as opposed to "non-iron" lesions (year 0: p = 0.022, year 1: p = 0.231). CONCLUSION 7 T MRSI allows in vivo characterization of different iron accumulation types each presenting with a distinct metabolic profile. Furthermore, the larger extent of neuronal damage in lesions with a distinct iron rim was reconfirmed via reduced tNAA/tCr concentrations, but with metabolic differences in lesion development between (non)-iron-containing lesions. This highlights the ability of MRSI to further investigate different types of iron accumulation and suggests possible implications for disease monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Lipka
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Bogner
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Christian Doppler Laboratory for MR Imaging Biomarkers (BIOMAK), Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna.
| | | | - Gilbert J Hangel
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Paulus S Rommer
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Strasser
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stanislav Motyka
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lukas Hingerl
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Berger
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fritz Leutmezer
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stephan Gruber
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Siegfried Trattnig
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Karl Landsteiner Institute for Clinical Molecular MRI in Musculoskeletal System, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Niess
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Christian Doppler Laboratory for MR Imaging Biomarkers (BIOMAK), Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna
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Lesion-Specific Metabolic Alterations in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Via 7 T Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging. Invest Radiol 2023; 58:156-165. [PMID: 36094811 PMCID: PMC9835681 DOI: 10.1097/rli.0000000000000913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the brain enables in vivo assessment of metabolic alterations in multiple sclerosis (MS). This provides complementary insights into lesion pathology that cannot be obtained via T1- and T2-weighted conventional magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI). PURPOSE The aims of this study were to assess focal metabolic alterations inside and at the periphery of lesions that are visible or invisible on cMRI, and to correlate their metabolic changes with T1 hypointensity and the distance of lesions to cortical gray matter (GM). METHODS A 7 T MRSI was performed on 51 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (30 female/21 male; mean age, 35.4 ± 9.9 years). Mean metabolic ratios were calculated for segmented regions of interest (ROIs) of normal-appearing white matter, white matter lesions, and focal regions of increased mIns/tNAA invisible on cMRI. A subgroup analysis was performed after subdividing based on T1 relaxation and distance to cortical GM. Metabolite ratios were correlated with T1 and compared between different layers around cMRI-visible lesions. RESULTS Focal regions of, on average, 2.8-fold higher mIns/tNAA than surrounding normal-appearing white matter and with an appearance similar to that of MS lesions were found, which were not visible on cMRI (ie, ~4% of metabolic hotspots). T1 relaxation was positively correlated with mIns/tNAA ( P ≤ 0.01), and negatively with tNAA/tCr ( P ≤ 0.01) and tCho/tCr ( P ≤ 0.01). mIns/tCr was increased outside lesions, whereas tNAA/tCr distributions resembled macroscopic tissue damage inside the lesions. mIns/tCr was -21% lower for lesions closer to cortical GM ( P ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS 7 T MRSI allows in vivo visualization of focal MS pathology not visible on cMRI and the assessment of metabolite levels in the lesion center, in the active lesion periphery and in cortical lesions. This demonstrated the potential of MRSI to image mIns as an early biomarker in lesion development.
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Mueller C, Baird JF, Motl RW. Whole-Brain Metabolic Abnormalities Are Associated With Mobility in Older Adults With Multiple Sclerosis. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2022; 36:286-297. [PMID: 35164595 DOI: 10.1177/15459683221076461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience mobility impairments, but conventional brain imaging is a poor predictor of walking abilities in this population. OBJECTIVE To test whether brain metabolites measured with Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) are associated with walking performance in older adults with MS. METHODS Fifteen older adults with MS (mean age: 60.9, SD: 5.1) and 22 age-matched healthy controls (mean age: 64.2, SD: 5.7) underwent whole-brain MRS and mobility testing. Levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (MI), choline (CHO), and temperature in 47 brain regions were compared between groups and correlated with walking speed (Timed 25 Foot Walk) and walking endurance (Six-Minute Walk). RESULTS Older adults with MS had higher MI in 23 areas, including the bilateral frontal (right: t (21.449) = -2.605, P = .016; left: t (35) = -2.434, P = .020), temporal (right: t (35) = -3.063, P = .004; left: t (35) = -3.026, P = .005), and parietal lobes (right: t (21.100) = -2.886, P = .009; left: t (35) = -2.507, P = .017), and right thalamus (t (35) = -2.840, P = .007). MI in eleven regions correlated with walking speed, and MI in twelve regions correlated with walking endurance. NAA was lower in MS in the bilateral thalami (right: t (35) = 3.449, P < .001; left: t (35) = 2.061, P = .047), caudate nuclei (right: t (33) = 2.828, P = .008; left: t (32) = 2.132, P = .041), and posterior cingulum (right: t (35) = 3.077, P = .004; left: t (35) = 2.972, P = .005). NAA in four regions correlated with walking speed and endurance. Brain temperature was higher in MS patients in four regions, but did not correlate with mobility measures. There were no group differences in CHO. CONCLUSION MI and NAA may be useful imaging end-points for walking ability as a clinical outcome in older adults with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Mueller
- Department of Neurology, 9967University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jessica F Baird
- Department of Physical Therapy, 9968University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Robert W Motl
- Department of Physical Therapy, 9968University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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Imrich R, Vlcek M, Penesova A, Radikova Z, Havranova A, Sivakova M, Siarnik P, Kollar B, Sokolov T, Turcani P, Heckova E, Hangel G, Strasser B, Bogner W. Cardiac autonomic function in patients with early multiple sclerosis. Clin Auton Res 2021; 31:553-562. [PMID: 33665745 DOI: 10.1007/s10286-021-00790-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cardiac autonomic dysfunction has been reported in patients with long-standing multiple sclerosis (MS); however, data in early disease are limited. The present study was aimed at evaluating cardiac autonomic function in patients with early MS in the context of white matter metabolic status, which could potentially affect functions of the autonomic brain centers. METHODS Cardiac sympathetic and baroreflex cardiovagal responses to the Valsalva maneuver, orthostatic test, and the Stroop test were evaluated in 16 early, treatment-naïve patients with relapsing-remitting MS, and in 14 healthy participants. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the brain was performed in eight of these MS patients and in eight controls. RESULTS Valsalva maneuver outcomes were comparable between patients and controls. At baseline, norepinephrine levels were lower (p = 0.027) in MS patients compared to controls. The patients had higher heart rate (p = 0.034) and lower stroke volume (p = 0.008), but similar blood pressure, cardiac output and norepinephrine increments from baseline to 2 min of the orthostatic test compared to controls. MS patients and controls did not differ in responses to the Stroop test. MRSI showed lower total N-acetylaspartate/total creatine (p = 0.038) and higher myo-inositol/total creatine (p = 0.013) in MS lesions compared to non-lesional white matter. CONCLUSION Our results show normal cardiac sympathetic and baroreflex cardiovagal function in MS patients with relapsing-remitting MS with lesions at the post-acute/early resolving stage. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under the Identifier: NCT03052595 and complies with the STROBE checklist for cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Imrich
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84505, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Miroslav Vlcek
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84505, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Adela Penesova
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84505, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zofia Radikova
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84505, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andrea Havranova
- Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84505, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sivakova
- 1St Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Pavel Siarnik
- 1St Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Branislav Kollar
- 1St Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | | | - Peter Turcani
- 1St Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Eva Heckova
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gilbert Hangel
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Strasser
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Bogner
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Mueller C, Lin JC, Sheriff S, Maudsley AA, Younger JW. Evidence of widespread metabolite abnormalities in Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: assessment with whole-brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 14:562-572. [PMID: 30617782 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-018-0029-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous neuroimaging studies have detected markers of neuroinflammation in patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) is suitable for measuring brain metabolites linked to inflammation, but has only been applied to discrete regions of interest in ME/CFS. We extended the MRS analysis of ME/CFS by capturing multi-voxel information across the entire brain. Additionally, we tested whether MRS-derived brain temperature is elevated in ME/CFS patients. Fifteen women with ME/CFS and 15 age- and gender-matched healthy controls completed fatigue and mood symptom questionnaires and whole-brain echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI). Choline (CHO), myo-inositol (MI), lactate (LAC), and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) were quantified in 47 regions, expressed as ratios over creatine (CR), and compared between ME/CFS patients and controls using independent-samples t-tests. Brain temperature was similarly tested between groups. Significant between-group differences were detected in several regions, most notably elevated CHO/CR in the left anterior cingulate (p < 0.001). Metabolite ratios in seven regions were correlated with fatigue (p < 0.05). ME/CFS patients had increased temperature in the right insula, putamen, frontal cortex, thalamus, and the cerebellum (all p < 0.05), which was not attributable to increased body temperature or differences in cerebral perfusion. Brain temperature increases converged with elevated LAC/CR in the right insula, right thalamus, and cerebellum (all p < 0.05). We report metabolite and temperature abnormalities in ME/CFS patients in widely distributed regions. Our findings may indicate that ME/CFS involves neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Mueller
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Joanne C Lin
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Sulaiman Sheriff
- Department of Radiology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave #1140, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Andrew A Maudsley
- Department of Radiology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 NW 10th Ave #1140, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Jarred W Younger
- Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
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Ostojic SM. Brain creatine for predicting clinical course in white matter disorders. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2020; 45:102441. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2020.102441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex and debilitating neurodegenerative disease, with unknown cause(s), unpredictable prognosis, and rather limited treatment options. MS is often accompanied by various metabolic disturbances, with impaired creatine metabolism may play a role in its pathogenesis and the clinical course of the disease. This review summarizes human trials describing alterations in creatine levels in the nervous system and other tissues during MS, affects how certain medications for MS affect brain creatine concentrations, and discusses a possible demand for exogenous creatine as an adjunct therapeutic agent in the management of MS. Creatine metabolism seems to be dysfunctional in MS, indicating a low metabolic state of the brain and other relevant organs in this unpredictable demyelinating disease. A disease-driven brain creatine deficit could be seen as a distinctive pathological facet of severe MS that might be approached with targeted therapies in aim to restore creatine homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergej M Ostojic
- FSPE Applied Bioenergetics Lab, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
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Swanberg KM, Landheer K, Pitt D, Juchem C. Quantifying the Metabolic Signature of Multiple Sclerosis by in vivo Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Current Challenges and Future Outlook in the Translation From Proton Signal to Diagnostic Biomarker. Front Neurol 2019; 10:1173. [PMID: 31803127 PMCID: PMC6876616 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.01173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) offers a growing variety of methods for querying potential diagnostic biomarkers of multiple sclerosis in living central nervous system tissue. For the past three decades, 1H-MRS has enabled the acquisition of a rich dataset suggestive of numerous metabolic alterations in lesions, normal-appearing white matter, gray matter, and spinal cord of individuals with multiple sclerosis, but this body of information is not free of seeming internal contradiction. The use of 1H-MRS signals as diagnostic biomarkers depends on reproducible and generalizable sensitivity and specificity to disease state that can be confounded by a multitude of influences, including experiment group classification and demographics; acquisition sequence; spectral quality and quantifiability; the contribution of macromolecules and lipids to the spectroscopic baseline; spectral quantification pipeline; voxel tissue and lesion composition; T1 and T2 relaxation; B1 field characteristics; and other features of study design, spectral acquisition and processing, and metabolite quantification about which the experimenter may possess imperfect or incomplete information. The direct comparison of 1H-MRS data from individuals with and without multiple sclerosis poses a special challenge in this regard, as several lines of evidence suggest that experimental cohorts may differ significantly in some of these parameters. We review the existing findings of in vivo1H-MRS on central nervous system metabolic abnormalities in multiple sclerosis and its subtypes within the context of study design, spectral acquisition and processing, and metabolite quantification and offer an outlook on technical considerations, including the growing use of machine learning, by future investigations into diagnostic biomarkers of multiple sclerosis measurable by 1H-MRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelley M Swanberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, New York, NY, United States
| | - Karl Landheer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, New York, NY, United States
| | - David Pitt
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Christoph Juchem
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, New York, NY, United States.,Department of Radiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, United States
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Davitz MS, Gonen O, Tal A, Babb JS, Lui YW, Kirov II. Quantitative multivoxel proton MR spectroscopy for the identification of white matter abnormalities in mild traumatic brain injury: Comparison between regional and global analysis. J Magn Reson Imaging 2019; 50:1424-1432. [PMID: 30868703 PMCID: PMC6744359 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.26718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 3D brain proton MR spectroscopic imaging (1 H MRSI) facilitates simultaneous metabolic profiling of multiple loci, at higher, sub-1 cm3 , spatial resolution than single-voxel 1 H MRS with the ability to separate tissue-type partial volume contribution(s). PURPOSE To determine if: 1) white matter (WM) damage in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is homogeneously diffuse, or if specific regions are more affected; 2) partial-volume-corrected, structure-specific 1 H MRSI voxel averaging is sensitive to regional WM metabolic abnormalities. STUDY TYPE Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study. POPULATION Twenty-seven subjects: 15 symptomatic mTBI patients, 12 matched controls. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3T using 3D 1 H MRSI over a 360-cm3 volume of interest (VOI) centered over the corpus callosum, partitioned into 480 voxels, each 0.75 cm3 . ASSESSMENT N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), creatine, choline, and myo-inositol concentrations estimated in predominantly WM regions: body, genu, and splenium of the corpus callosum, corona radiata, frontal, and occipital WM. STATISTICAL TESTS Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to compare patients with controls in terms of regional concentrations. The effect sizes (Cohen's d) of the mean differences were compared across regions and with previously published global data obtained with linear regression of the WM over the entire VOI in the same dataset. RESULTS Despite patients' global VOI WM NAA being significantly lower than the controls', no regional differences were observed for any metabolite. Regional NAA comparisons, however, were all unidirectional (patients' NAA concentrations < controls') within a narrow range: 0.3 ≤ Cohen's d ≤ 0.6. DATA CONCLUSION Since the patient group was symptomatic and exhibiting global WM NAA deficits, these findings suggest: 1) diffuse axonal mTBI damage; that is 2) below the 1 H MRSI detection threshold in small regions. Therefore, larger, ie, more sensitive, single-voxel 1 H MRS, placed anywhere in WM regions, may be well suited for mTBI 1 H MRS studies, given that these results are confirmed in other cohorts. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1424-1432.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Davitz
- Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAIR), Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, 660 1 Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Oded Gonen
- Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAIR), Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, 660 1 Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Assaf Tal
- Department of Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - James S. Babb
- Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAIR), Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, 660 1 Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yvonne W. Lui
- Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAIR), Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, 660 1 Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ivan I. Kirov
- Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research (CAIR), Bernard and Irene Schwartz Center for Biomedical Imaging, New York University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, 660 1 Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Motyka S, Moser P, Hingerl L, Hangel G, Heckova E, Strasser B, Eckstein K, Daniel Robinson S, Poser BA, Gruber S, Trattnig S, Bogner W. The influence of spatial resolution on the spectral quality and quantification accuracy of whole-brain MRSI at 1.5T, 3T, 7T, and 9.4T. Magn Reson Med 2019; 82:551-565. [PMID: 30932248 PMCID: PMC6563461 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Inhomogeneities in the static magnetic field (B0 ) deteriorate MRSI data quality by lowering the spectral resolution and SNR. MRSI with low spatial resolution is also prone to lipid bleeding. These problems are increasingly problematic at ultra-high fields. An approach to tackling these challenges independent of B0 -shim hardware is to increase the spatial resolution. Therefore, we investigated the effect of improved spatial resolution on spectral quality and quantification at 4 field strengths. METHODS Whole-brain MRSI data was simulated for 3 spatial resolutions and 4 B0 s based on experimentally acquired MRI data and simulated free induction decay signals of metabolites and lipids. To compare the spectral quality and quantification, we derived SNR normalized to the voxel size (nSNR), linewidth and metabolite concentration ratios, their Cramer-Rao-lower-bounds (CRLBs), and the absolute percentage error (APE) of estimated concentrations compared to the gold standard for the whole-brain and 8 brain regions. RESULTS At 7T, we found up to a 3.4-fold improved nSNR (in the frontal lobe) and a 2.8-fold reduced linewidth (in the temporal lobe) for 1 cm3 versus 0.25 cm3 resolution. This effect was much more pronounced at higher and less homogenous B0 (1.6-fold improved nSNR and 1.8-fold improved linewidth in the parietal lobe at 3T). This had direct implications for quantification: the volume of reliably quantified spectra increased with resolution by 1.2-fold and 1.5-fold (when thresholded by CRLBs or APE, respectively). CONCLUSION MRSI data quality benefits from increased spatial resolution particularly at higher B0 , and leads to more reliable metabolite quantification. In conjunction with the development of better B0 shimming hardware, this will enable robust whole-brain MRSI at ultra-high field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav Motyka
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp Moser
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lukas Hingerl
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gilbert Hangel
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Heckova
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Strasser
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Radiology, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Korbinian Eckstein
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Daniel Robinson
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Benedikt A Poser
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Stephan Gruber
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Siegfried Trattnig
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Christian Doppler Laboratory for Clinical Molecular MR Imaging, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Bogner
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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11
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The contribution of astrocytes to the neuroinflammatory response in multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 137:757-783. [PMID: 30847559 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-019-01980-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is the coordinated response of the central nervous system (CNS) to threats to its integrity posed by a variety of conditions, including autoimmunity, pathogens and trauma. Activated astrocytes, in concert with other cellular elements of the CNS and immune system, are important players in the modulation of the neuroinflammatory response. During neurological disease, they produce and respond to cellular signals that often lead to dichotomous processes, which can promote further damage or contribute to repair. This occurs also in multiple sclerosis (MS), where astrocytes are now recognized as key components of its immunopathology. Evidence supporting this role has emerged not only from studies in MS patients, but also from animal models, among which the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model has proved especially instrumental. Based on this premise, the purpose of the present review is to summarize the current knowledge of astrocyte behavior in MS and EAE. Following a brief description of the pathological characteristics of the two diseases and the main functional roles of astrocytes in CNS physiology, we will delve into the specific responses of this cell population, analyzing MS and EAE in parallel. We will define the temporal and anatomical profile of astroglial activation, then focus on key processes they participate in. These include: (1) production and response to soluble mediators (e.g., cytokines and chemokines), (2) regulation of oxidative stress, and (3) maintenance of BBB integrity and function. Finally, we will review the state of the art on the available methods to measure astroglial activation in vivo in MS patients, and how this could be exploited to optimize diagnosis, prognosis and treatment decisions. Ultimately, we believe that integrating the knowledge obtained from studies in MS and EAE may help not only better understand the pathophysiology of MS, but also uncover new signals to be targeted for therapeutic intervention.
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Heckova E, Strasser B, Hangel GJ, Považan M, Dal-Bianco A, Rommer PS, Bednarik P, Gruber S, Leutmezer F, Lassmann H, Trattnig S, Bogner W. 7 T Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis: How Does Spatial Resolution Affect the Detectability of Metabolic Changes in Brain Lesions? Invest Radiol 2019; 54:247-254. [PMID: 30433892 PMCID: PMC7612616 DOI: 10.1097/rli.0000000000000531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the utility of increased spatial resolution of magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) at 7 T for the detection of neurochemical changes in multiple sclerosis (MS)-related brain lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective, institutional review board-approved study was performed in 20 relapsing-remitting MS patients (9 women/11 men; mean age ± standard deviation, 30.8 ± 7.7 years) after receiving written informed consent. Metabolic patterns in MS lesions were compared at 3 different spatial resolutions of free induction decay MRSI with implemented parallel imaging acceleration: 2.2 × 2.2 × 8 mm; 3.4 × 3.4 × 8 mm; and 6.8 × 6.8 × 8 mm voxel volumes, that is, matrix sizes of 100 × 100, 64 × 64, and 32 × 32, respectively. The quality of data was assessed by signal-to-noise ratio and Cramér-Rao lower bounds. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with correction for multiple testing. RESULTS Seventy-seven T2-hyperintense MS lesions were investigated (median volume, 155.7 mm; range, 10.8-747.0 mm). The mean metabolic ratios in lesions differed significantly between the 3 MRSI resolutions (ie, 100 × 100 vs 64 × 64, 100 × 100 vs 32 × 32, and 64 × 64 vs 32 × 32; P < 0.001). With the ultra-high resolution (100 × 100), we obtained 40% to 80% higher mean metabolic ratios and 100% to 150% increase in maximum metabolic ratios in the MS lesions compared with the lowest resolution (32 × 32), while maintaining good spectral quality (signal-to-noise ratio >12, Cramér-Rao lower bounds <20%) and measurement time of 6 minutes. There were 83% of MS lesions that showed increased myo-inositol/N-acetylaspartate with the 100 × 100 resolution, but only 66% were distinguishable with the 64 × 64 resolution and 35% with the 32 × 32 resolution. CONCLUSIONS Ultra-high-resolution MRSI (~2 × 2 × 8 mm voxel volume) can detect metabolic alterations in MS, which cannot be recognized by conventional MRSI resolutions, within clinically acceptable time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Heckova
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Strasser
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Gilbert J. Hangel
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michal Považan
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | | | - Paulus S. Rommer
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Petr Bednarik
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stephan Gruber
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fritz Leutmezer
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hans Lassmann
- Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Siegfried Trattnig
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Clinical Molecular MR Imaging, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Bogner
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Clinical Molecular MR Imaging, Vienna, Austria
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Zivadinov R, Bergsland N, Dwyer MG. Atrophied brain lesion volume, a magnetic resonance imaging biomarker for monitoring neurodegenerative changes in multiple sclerosis. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2018; 8:979-983. [PMID: 30598875 DOI: 10.21037/qims.2018.11.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Zivadinov
- Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Center for Biomedical Imaging, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Niels Bergsland
- Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Michael G Dwyer
- Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, Department of Neurology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Neuroimaging Techniques to Assess Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis. Neuroscience 2017; 403:4-16. [PMID: 28764938 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.07.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease that represents a leading cause of disability in young adults and is characterized by inflammation and degeneration of both white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM). Defining the presence or absence of inflammation on individual basis is a key point in choosing the therapy and monitoring the treatment response. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) represents the most sensitive non-invasive tool to monitor inflammation in the clinical practice. Indeed, in the early phase of inflammation MRI detects new lesions as extrusion of gadolinium contrast agents across the altered blood-brain-barrier (BBB). The occurrence of MRI lesions is used to confirm diagnosis and has been validated as surrogate marker of relapse to monitor response to treatments. However, focal gadolinium-enhancing lesions represent only an aspect of neuroinflammation. Recent studies have suggested the presence of a widespread inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS), which is mainly related to microglial cells activation occurring both at the edge of chronic focal lesions and throughout the normal-appearing brain tissue. New imaging techniques have been developed to study diffuse inflammation taking place outside the focal plaques. The scope of this review is to examine the various neuroimaging techniques and those biophysical quantities that can be non-invasively detected to enlighten the different aspects of neuroinflammation. Some techniques are commonly used in the clinical practice, while others are used in the research field to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of the disease and the role of inflammation.
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