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Clinical application of multi-contrast 7-T MR imaging in multiple sclerosis: increased lesion detection compared to 3 T confined to grey matter

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Abstract

Objectives

Seven-Tesla MRI demonstrated new pathological features of multiple sclerosis (MS) using T2*-weighted sequences. However, a clinical MRI protocol at 7 T has never been investigated. We evaluated the clinical value of 7-T MRI by investigating the sensitivity of lesion detection compared with 3 T.

Methods

Thirty-eight MS patients and eight healthy controls underwent multi-contrast MRI using 3D T1-weighted (3D-T1w), 2D dual-echo T2-weighted (2D-T2w) and 3D fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) at 3 and 7 T. Images were analysed for focal lesions, which were counted and categorised according to anatomical location. The study was approved by the institutional review board.

Results

Lesion-wise analysis showed increased lesion counts in cortical grey matter (GM) at 7 T of 91, 75 and 238 % for 3D-T1w, 2D-T2w and FLAIR sequences, respectively. Patient-wise analysis confirmed this for 2D-T2w and FLAIR (P < 0.023 and P < 0.001). Seven-Tesla white matter (WM) lesion detection was not increased; 3D-FLAIR even detected significantly more WM lesions at 3 T.

Conclusions

Using a clinical multi-contrast MRI protocol, increased lesion detection was observed in cortical GM but not in WM. Given the clinical relevance of GM abnormalities, this may have consequences for clinical outcome measures, prognostic classification and future diagnostic criteria incorporating GM abnormalities.

Key Points

• Standard multi-contrast 7-T magnetic resonance imaging in multiple sclerosis is feasible.

• Seven-Tesla MRI detects more cortical grey matter lesions than 3 T.

• Seven-Tesla MRI fares no better than 3 T in detecting white matter lesions.

• Grey matter abnormalities have high diagnostic and prognostic relevance in MS.

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Acknowledgements

F. Visser is a part-time employee of Philips Healthcare, The Netherlands. Iris Kilsdonk is supported by a grant provided by the Noaber Foundation (Lunteren, the Netherlands).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Wolter L. de Graaf, Iris D. Kilsdonk, Alexandra Lopez-Soriano, Jonas A. Castelijns, Frederik Barkhof & Mike P. Wattjes

  2. Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Jaco J. M. Zwanenburg, Fredy Visser & Peter R. Luijten

  3. Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Jaco J. M. Zwanenburg

  4. Philips Healthcare, Best, The Netherlands

    Fredy Visser

  5. Department of Neurology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Chris H. Polman

  6. Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jeroen J. G. Geurts

  7. Department of Physics and Medical Technology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Petra J. W. Pouwels

Authors
  1. Wolter L. de Graaf
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Correspondence to Mike P. Wattjes.

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de Graaf, W.L., Kilsdonk, I.D., Lopez-Soriano, A. et al. Clinical application of multi-contrast 7-T MR imaging in multiple sclerosis: increased lesion detection compared to 3 T confined to grey matter. Eur Radiol 23, 528–540 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-012-2619-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-012-2619-7

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