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Abstract #1401

A pilot in vivo investigation of peripheral nerve damage in multiple sclerosis using magnetisation transfer ratio

Marios C. Yiannakas1, Marco Battiston1, Francesco Grussu1,2, Ratthaporn Boonsuth1, Rebecca S. Samson1, Torben Schneider3, Masami Yoneyama4, Ferran Prados1,5,6, Carmen Tur1, Sara Collorone1, Rosanna Cortese1, Olga Ciccarelli1, and Claudia A.M. Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott1,7,8
1Queen Square MS Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom, 2Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom, 3Philips Healthcare, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom, 4Philips Japan, Minatoku, Tokyo, Japan, 5Centre for Medical Image Computing, Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom, 6Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, 7Brain MRI 3T Research Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy, 8Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

Evidence from histopathological studies has demonstrated the involvement of the peripheral nervous system in multiple sclerosis (MS), specifically alteration in myelin content and, to a lesser extent, axonal degeneration. However, evidence from objective investigations in vivo is lacking. In this pilot study, the lumbar plexus and the sciatic nerve are investigated in people with MS using a previously optimised magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR) protocol developed in healthy controls. Results demonstrate reduced MTR values in both anatomical regions studied, consistent with histopathological data, and as such highlighting a need for further investigations in a larger sample population.

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