Author/Authors :
Rahimian, Nasrin Iranian Center of Neurological Research - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Saligheh Rad, Hamidreza Quantitative MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group - Research Center for Cellular and Molecular Imaging - Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Department - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Firouznia, Kavous Advanced Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Research Center (ADIR) - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Ebrahimzadeh, Amir Department of Radiology - Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Meysamie, Alipasha Community Medicine Department - Medical Faculty - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Vafaiean, Hamideh Quantitative MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group - Research Center for Cellular and Molecular Imaging - Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Department - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Harirchian, Mohammad Hossein Iranian Center of Neurological Research - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract :
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a highly prevalent cause of neurological disability and has different clinical subtypes with potentially different underlying pathologies. Differentiation of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) from relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) could be difficult especially in its early phases.
Objectives: We compared brain metabolite concentrations and ratios in patients with PPMS and RRMS by magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI).
Patients and Methods: Thirty patients with definite MS (15 with RRMS and 15 with PPMS) underwent MRSI and their non-enhancing lesion metabolites were measured. N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), Creatine (Cr), Choline (Cho), NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho were measured and compared between the two MS subtypes.
Results: When the two MS groups were compared together, we found that Cr was significantly increased (P value=0.008) and NAA/Cr was significantly decreased (P value=0.03) in non-enhancing lesions in PPMS compared with RRMS. There was no significant difference in NAA, Cho or NAA/Cho between the two MS subtypes.
Conclusion: MRS is a potential way to differentiate PPMS and RRMS
Keywords :
Multiple Sclerosis , Chronic Progressive , Multiple Sclerosis , Relapsing-Remitting , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
