Abstract #3248

Normal-Appearing White Matter Quantitative Magnetization Transfer Imaging Correlates with Disability in Multiple Sclerosis

Barbara Basile^1,2, Mara Cercignani³, Fabrizio Fasano³, Ugo Nocentini⁴, Carlo Caltagirone^4,5, Marco Bozzali³

¹Neuroimaging Laboratory , Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy, Italy; ²School of Cognitive Psychotherapy, Rome, Italy, Italy; ³Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy, Italy; ⁴Department of Clinical and Behavioural Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy, Italy; ⁵Department of Neuroscience, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, Italy

Quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) probes the MR properties of protons in macromolecules such as myelin. A clinically feasible whole-brain qMT protocol was implemented in order to investigate the different pathological substrates of normal appearing white matter (NAWM) and lesions in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and to assess whether qMT parameters may explain MS patients clinical disability. Results showed significant differences across healthy and damaged tissues in qMT values. Consistently with our predictions, clinical disability was explained by specific qMTIparameters in both NAWM and lesions.