Abstract #0421

DTI abnormalities in the midbrain in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis.

Ritobrato Datta^1,2, Sophia Ly³, Christine Till⁴, Elisea De Somma⁴, Nadine Akbar⁵, Sudipto Dolui⁶, Douglas L. Arnold⁷, Sridar Narayanan⁸, and Brenda L. Banwell¹

¹Neurology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States, ²Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States, ³Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States, ⁴Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada, ⁵Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, ⁶Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States, ⁷Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, ⁸Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

Pediatric-onset MS (POMS) is characterized by a high frequency of brainstem lesions early in the disease. It is unknown whether normal-appearing tissue in this region is involved at this early time point. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at 3T, we evaluated fractional anisotropy (FA) changes in midbrain substructures in POMS patients and age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Mean FA of midbrain was significantly reduced in the MS group, a difference that remained significant even after removing any focal midbrain lesions. Our results indicate a widespread disruption in the midbrain that exceeds lesional tissue disruption alone.

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