Assessment Of Iron Content In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis By Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PART ONELONGITUDINAL ESWAN OBSERVATION ON IRONDEPOSITION IN THE DEEP NUCLEUS IN PATIENTSWITH RELAPSE-REMITTING MULTIPLE SCLEROSISObjective:To longitudinally assess the dynamic changes of iron content in thedeep nucleus and the correlation with clinic in patients withrelapse-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with3D enhanced T2*weighted angiography (ESWAN).Methods:Thirty patients with RRMS were recruited and underwent conventionalmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ESWAN two times with the intervalof2years. Combination of axial and sagittal T2FLAIR image were performed to compare the changes of lesion between two times, and then thepatients were divided into lesion increased group (n=15), unchanged group(n=9) or decreased group (n=6).The mean phase values (MPVs) of deepnucleus were measured, and the changes of iron content and the correlationbetween the changes and clinic were analyzed.Results:Compared with the findings of the first time, the second examinationshowed that all the deep nucleus’ MPVs declined except thalamus, and thechanges in substantia nigra were most significant (t=2.92, P=0.007). Thelesion load increased and unchanged group, all the deep nucleus’ MPVsdeclined. The changes in lesion load increased group were more significant.And substantia nigra’s MPVs decreased most pronouncedly (t=5.40, P=0.001). In lesion decreased group, all the deep nucleus’ MPVs increasedexcept dentate nucleus. No significant statistical difference of the change ofMPVs was found in all deep nucleus in patients with relapse time less thantwice (P＞0.05), while in patients with relapse time greater than or equalto two times, the changes of MPVs in the deep nucleus was statisticalobvious (P＜0.05) except thalamus (P=0.212) and globus pallidus (P=0.891). Correlation between the change of EDSS and the change of MPVswas not found (P＞0.05), while lesion load was correlated with thechanges of MPVs except thalamus (r=0.332, P=0.073). Conclusion:The content of iron in thalamus in patients with RRMS is stable, whileother deep nucleus’ change of iron content correlated to lesion load. PART TWOT2~*ASSESSMENT OF LIVER IRON CONTENT INPATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS BYMAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGINGObjective:To measure the liver iron content in patients with multiple sclerosis(MS) by T2~*quantitative and explore the differences of liver iron contentbetween patients with MS and healthy volunteers.Methods:35patients with MS (MS group) and17healthy volunteers (controlgroup) underwent T2~*scan of liver. The values of T2~*in each liver segmentwere measured and the mean values were calculated. And then the iron loadlevels of patients with MS were comprehensively assessed, combined withthe serum iron and ferritin levels.Results:The mean T2~*values of liver in MS group and control group was(17.46±2.82)，(17.17±3.69) respectively, there was not statisticallysignificant between the two groups (P＞0.05).9cases (9/35，25.71%) inMS group and4cases (4/17，23.53%) in control group were iron overload,however, all were in the acceptable range (5—15.8ms), The incidence of iron overload between the two groups showed no statistically significant (2=0.029，P＞0.05). There were not statistical differences between MSgroup and control group in serum iron and ferritin levels (both P＞0.05).The values of T2~*were negatively correlate with ferritin (MS group: r=－0.448，P=0.032； control group: r=－0.742，P=0.009）, but didn’tcorrelate with serum iron (both P＞0.05).Conclusion:No significant difference of iron load was found between MS group andcontrol group, which prompt that the excessive iron deposition in MS brainis not caused by iron overload in the entire body.