TY - JOUR T1 - Multiple sclerosis: Magnetization transfer histogram analysis of segmented normal-appearing white matter JF - RADIOLOGY Y1 - 2000 A1 - Isabelle Catalaa A1 - Robert J Grossman A1 - Dennis L Kolson A1 - Jayaram K Udupa A1 - László Gábor Nyúl A1 - Lougang Wei A1 - Xuan Zhang A1 - Marcia Polansky A1 - Lois J Mannon A1 - Joseph C McGowan AB - PURPOSE: To investigate and characterize the global distributionof magnetization transfer (MT) ratio values of normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and test the hypothesis that the MT histogram for NAWM reflects disease progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Conventional and MT magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained in 23 patients and 25 healthy volunteers. Clinical tests for comparison with the MT histogram parameters included the Extended Disability Status Scale and the ambulation index. Lesion load calculated with T2-weighted MR images and whole- brain and white matter volumes were measured. RESULTS: The location of the MT histogram peak and the mean MT ratio for NAWM were significantly lower in patients with MS than in control subjects. In longitudinal studies, the histogram peak location and mean MT ratio shifted in the direction of normal values as the duration of disease increased. A mean of 26.5% of the volume of new lesions identified on the later studies were demonstrated to have originated in NAWM corresponding to "lost" pixels on the histogram. CONCLUSION: MT histogram analysis of NAWM, including longitudinal analysis, may provide new prognostic information regarding lesion formation and increase understanding of the course of the disease. VL - 216 SN - 0033-8419 IS - 2 N1 - UT: 000088430800008ScopusID: 0033894599 JO - RADIOLOGY ER -