Quantitative susceptibility mapping of paramagnetic rim lesions in early multiple sclerosis: A cross-sectional study of brain age and disability

Q4 Neuroscience

Neuroimage. Reports Pub Date : 2025-06-21 DOI:10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100277

Lars Skattebøl , Rigmor Lundby , Mathias H. Øverås , Piotr Sowa , Elisabeth G. Celius , Hanne F. Harbo , Wibeke Nordhøy , Einar A. Høgestøl , Gro O. Nygaard

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

Chronic inflammation in multiple sclerosis is associated with neurodegeneration and progressive functional decline. Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is an MRI technique that visualizes paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs), which are indicative of chronic inflammation. In this cross-sectional study, we explored the prevalence of PRLs in multiple sclerosis and assessed their associations with clinical disability, tissue magnetic susceptibility, and brain age predictions.

Methods

All participants from the NOR-MS study with a 3T MRI T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo and QSM were included (n = 42, mean age = 39.4 years, 59.5 % females, median disease duration = 0.1 years [IQR: 0.02–5.42]). The presence and characteristics of PRLs were evaluated by an experienced neuroradiologist. PRL and non-PRL susceptibility were categorized into separate groups through manual segmentation and voxel-wise analysis. We utilized a validated simple fully convolutional network and T1-weighted images to estimate brain age, and its derivative – brain age gap (BAG). Clinical disability was assessed using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

Results

PRLs were identified in 14.3 % (n = 6) of study participants, and correlated with EDSS (rho = 0.86, p = 0.03). The mean paramagnetic rim susceptibility was 25.6 ± 14.1 parts per billion and correlated with EDSS (rho = 0.93, p = 0.008). EDSS was significantly higher in the PRL-positive group (median EDSS 2.25 vs 1.5, p = 0.02). The PRL-positive group exhibited a mean 5.6-year higher BAG (p = 0.01) than the PRL-negative group.

Conclusion

PRLs were present in a significant subset of study participants with MS and were associated with greater disability and higher BAG.

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早期多发性硬化症顺磁边缘病变的定量易感性图谱：脑年龄和残疾的横断面研究

目的多发性硬化症慢性炎症与神经退行性变和进行性功能下降有关。定量敏感性映射（QSM）是一种MRI技术，可以显示顺磁边缘病变（prl），这是慢性炎症的指示。在这项横断面研究中，我们探讨了prl在多发性硬化症中的患病率，并评估了它们与临床残疾、组织磁化率和脑年龄预测的关系。方法所有采用3T MRI t1加权磁化快速梯度回声和QSM的NOR-MS研究参与者（n = 42，平均年龄= 39.4岁，女性59.5%，中位病程= 0.1年[IQR: 0.02-5.42]）。由经验丰富的神经放射学家评估prl的存在和特征。通过人工分割和体素分析，将PRL和非PRL敏感性分为不同的组。我们使用经过验证的简单全卷积网络和t1加权图像来估计脑年龄及其衍生物-脑年龄差距（BAG）。临床残疾评估采用扩展残疾状态量表（EDSS）。结果14.3% （n = 6）的受试者存在sprl， sprl与EDSS相关（rho = 0.86, p = 0.03）。平均顺磁边缘磁化率为25.6±14.1，与EDSS相关（rho = 0.93, p = 0.008）。prl阳性组EDSS显著升高（中位EDSS 2.25 vs 1.5, p = 0.02）。prl阳性组的BAG平均比prl阴性组高5.6年（p = 0.01）。结论prl存在于MS研究参与者的一个重要子集中，并且与更大的残疾和更高的BAG相关。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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