Abstract #3118
Multi-parametric MR assessment of T1 black holes in multiple sclerosis: Evidence that extracellular water is increased but myelin loss is not greater
Laule C, Vavasour I, Li D, MacKay A, Traboulsee A
University of British Columbia
The purpose of this study was to compare the total water content (WC), myelin water content (MWC), magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), T1 relaxation time (T1) and T2 relaxation time (T2) between MS lesions that are hypointense and those that are isointense on T1-weighted images. Increases in water were evident from increased WC, T1 and T2 in both isointense and hypointense T1 lesions, but the MWC was the same for both lesion types. One possible explanation is that demyelination occurs in both the isointense and hypointense lesions but the hypointense lesions are distinguished by greater axonal loss and increased extracellular water.
