Cervical Spinal Cord Lesions and Atrophy versus Brain Measures in Explaining Physical Disability in Multiple Sclerosis

Radiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 296 (3) ◽  
pp. 616-618
Author(s):  
Robert Zivadinov ◽  
Niels Bergsland
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Physical Disability ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Lesions

scholarly journals MRI of the Entire Spinal Cord—Worth the While or Waste of Time? A Retrospective Study of 74 Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1424
Author(s):  
Esben Nyborg Poulsen ◽  
Anna Olsson ◽  
Stefan Gustavsen ◽  
Annika Reynberg Langkilde ◽  
Annette Bang Oturai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
Brain Mri ◽  
Anatomical Location ◽  
Spinal Cord Lesions ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Mcdonald Criteria ◽  
Chi Square Test

Spinal cord lesions are included in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), yet spinal cord MRI is not mandatory for diagnosis according to the latest revisions of the McDonald Criteria. We investigated the distribution of spinal cord lesions in MS patients and examined how it influences the fulfillment of the 2017 McDonald Criteria. Seventy-four patients with relapsing-remitting MS were examined with brain and entire spinal cord MRI. Sixty-five patients received contrast. The number and anatomical location of MS lesions were assessed along with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). A Chi-square test, Fischer’s exact test, and one-sided McNemar’s test were used to test distributions. MS lesions were distributed throughout the spinal cord. Diagnosis of dissemination in space (DIS) was increased from 58/74 (78.4%) to 67/74 (90.5%) when adding cervical spinal cord MRI to brain MRI alone (p = 0.004). Diagnosis of dissemination in time (DIT) was not significantly increased when adding entire spinal cord MRI to brain MRI alone (p = 0.04). There was no association between the number of spinal cord lesions and the EDSS score (p = 0.71). MS lesions are present throughout the spinal cord, and spinal cord MRI may play an important role in the diagnosis and follow-up of MS patients.

scholarly journals 7 T imaging reveals a gradient in spinal cord lesion distribution in multiple sclerosis

Brain ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (10) ◽  
pp. 2973-2987 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell Ouellette ◽  
Constantina A Treaba ◽  
Tobias Granberg ◽  
Elena Herranz ◽  
Valeria Barletta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
White Matter Lesions ◽  
Progressive Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spinal Cord Lesions ◽  
Secondary Progressive ◽  
Relapsing Remitting

Abstract We used 7 T MRI to: (i) characterize the grey and white matter pathology in the cervical spinal cord of patients with early relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis; (ii) assess the spinal cord lesion spatial distribution and the hypothesis of an outside-in pathological process possibly driven by CSF-mediated immune cytotoxic factors; and (iii) evaluate the association of spinal cord pathology with brain burden and its contribution to neurological disability. We prospectively recruited 20 relapsing-remitting, 15 secondary progressive multiple sclerosis participants and 11 age-matched healthy control subjects to undergo 7 T imaging of the cervical spinal cord and brain as well as conventional 3 T brain acquisition. Cervical spinal cord imaging at 7 T was used to segment grey and white matter, including lesions therein. Brain imaging at 7 T was used to segment cortical and white matter lesions and 3 T imaging for cortical thickness estimation. Cervical spinal cord lesions were mapped voxel-wise as a function of distance from the inner central canal CSF pool to the outer subpial surface. Similarly, brain white matter lesions were mapped voxel-wise as a function of distance from the ventricular system. Subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis showed a greater predominance of spinal cord lesions nearer the outer subpial surface compared to secondary progressive cases. Inversely, secondary progressive participants presented with more centrally located lesions. Within the brain, there was a strong gradient of lesion formation nearest the ventricular system that was most evident in participants with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Lesion fractions within the spinal cord grey and white matter were related to the lesion fraction in cerebral white matter. Cortical thinning was the primary determinant of the Expanded Disability Status Scale, white matter lesion fractions in the spinal cord and brain of the 9-Hole Peg Test and cortical thickness and spinal cord grey matter cross-sectional area of the Timed 25-Foot Walk. Spinal cord lesions were localized nearest the subpial surfaces for those with relapsing-remitting and the central canal CSF surface in progressive disease, possibly implying CSF-mediated pathogenic mechanisms in lesion development that may differ between multiple sclerosis subtypes. These findings show that spinal cord lesions involve both grey and white matter from the early multiple sclerosis stages and occur mostly independent from brain pathology. Despite the prevalence of cervical spinal cord lesions and atrophy, brain pathology seems more strongly related to physical disability as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale.

Occipital neuralgia associates with high cervical spinal cord lesions in idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease

Cephalalgia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narayan R Kissoon ◽  
James C Watson ◽  
Christopher J Boes ◽  
Orhun H Kantarci
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Demyelinating Disease ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
Progressive Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Sensory Loss ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Occipital Neuralgia ◽  
Spinal Cord Lesions ◽  
High Cervical

Background The association of trigeminal neuralgia with pontine lesions has been well documented in multiple sclerosis, and we tested the hypothesis that occipital neuralgia in multiple sclerosis is associated with high cervical spinal cord lesions. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of 29 patients diagnosed with both occipital neuralgia and demyelinating disease by a neurologist from January 2001 to December 2014. We collected data on demographics, clinical findings, presence of C2-3 demyelinating lesions, and treatment responses. Results The patients with both occipital neuralgia and multiple sclerosis were typically female (76%) and had a later onset (age > 40) of occipital neuralgia (72%). Eighteen patients (64%) had the presence of C2-3 lesions and the majority had unilateral symptoms (83%) or episodic pain (78%). All patients with documented sensory loss (3/3) had C2-3 lesions. Most patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (6/8) had C2-3 lesions. Of the eight patients with C2-3 lesions and imaging at onset of occipital neuralgia, five (62.5%) had evidence of active demyelination. None of the patients with progressive multiple sclerosis (3/3) responded to occipital nerve blocks or high dose intravenous steroids, whereas all of the other phenotypes with long term follow-up (eight patients) had good responses. Conclusions A cervical spine MRI should be considered in all patients presenting with occipital neuralgia. In patients with multiple sclerosis, clinical features in occipital neuralgia that were predictive of the presence of a C2-3 lesion were unilateral episodic symptoms, sensory loss, later onset of occipital neuralgia, and progressive multiple sclerosis phenotype. Clinical phenotype predicted response to treatment.

Cervical Spinal Cord Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis: T1-weighted Inversion-Recovery MR Imaging with Phase-Sensitive Reconstruction

Radiology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 246 (1) ◽  
pp. 258-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aziz H. Poonawalla ◽  
Ping Hou ◽  
Flavia A. Nelson ◽  
Jerry S. Wolinsky ◽  
Ponnada A. Narayana
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Mr Imaging ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
Inversion Recovery ◽  
Spinal Cord Lesions ◽  
Phase Sensitive

scholarly journals Multiple Sclerosis Of The Spinal Cord: Is Gadolinium Irreplaceable In Assessing Lesion Activity?

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 158-161
Author(s):  
Constantina Andrada Treabă ◽  
M Buruian ◽  
Rodica Bălașa ◽  
Maria Daniela Podeanu ◽  
I P Simu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Contrast Enhancement ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Images ◽  
Type I ◽  
Focal Lesions ◽  
Spinal Cord Lesions ◽  
Active Lesion

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between the T2 patterns of spinal cord multiple sclerosis lesions and their contrast uptake. Material and method: We retrospectively reviewed the appearance of spinal cord lesions in 29 patients (with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis) who had signs and symptoms of myelopathy on neurologic examination and at least one active lesion visualized on magnetic resonance examinations performed between 2004 and 2011. We correlated the T2 patterns of lesions with contrast enhancement and calculated sensitivity and specificity in predicting gadolinium enhancement. Results: Only focal patterns consisting of a lesion’s center homogenously brighter than its periphery on T2-weighed images (type I) correlated significantly with the presence of contrast enhancement (p = 0.004). Sensitivity was 0.307 and specificity 0.929. In contrast, enhancement was not significantly related to uniformly hyperintense T2 focal lesions (type II) or diffuse (type III) pattern defined as poorly delineated areas of multiple small, confluent, subtle hyperintense T2 lesions (p > 0.5 for both). Conclusions: We believe that information about the activity of multiple sclerosis spinal cord lesions in patients with myelopathy may be extracted not only from contrast enhanced, but also from non-enhanced magnetic resonance images.

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