Abstract #3923

Altered Hemodynamics of Cortical Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis: A Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast MRI Study using a Kernel-Based Deconvolution Algorithm

Marco Castellaro¹, Denis Peruzzo¹, Massimiliano Calabrese², Francesca Rinaldi², Valentina Bernardi², Alice Favaretto², Irene Mattisi², Paolo Gallo², Alessandra Bertoldo¹

¹Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; ²Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

In this Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast (DSC-MRI) study we investigated the hemodynamic changes that may occur in Cortical Lesions (CLs) in 20 patients with Relapsing Remitting multiple sclerosis. 91% of the CLs show a statistical significant decreased CBF (-5321%, p<0.001) when compared to the Normal Appearing Grey Matter CBF values. The remaining 9% of the CLs show a statistical significant higher CBF (+3930% p < 0.05). This confirms neuropathological observations showing a proportion of active CLs characterized by a high degree of inflammated cells. On the other hand, the ipoperfused CLs may suggests a neuronal damage and loss.