Quantifying Axonal Injury, Demylination & Inflammation in Human MS Autopsy Specimens Using Diffusion Basis Spectrum Imaging (DBSI)

Yong Wang¹, Qing Wang¹, Mingqiang Xie², Anne H. Cross², Sheng-Kwei Song¹

During CNS pathology, cellularity is enhanced due to increased numbers of microglia, astrocytes and infiltrating inflammatory cells such as macrophages and lymphocytes. Presence of these cells could potentially confound white matter pathology as assessed using DTI. Diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI) has been developed to accurately quantify the extent of cellularity as well as the degree of axonal injury and demyelination in a cuprizone-treated mouse model. In this study, autopsy spinal cord specimens of MS patients were examined to correlate DBSI findings with immunohistochemistry (IHC). Preliminary data indicated that DBSI findings are consistent with IHC results, supporting its clinical application.