Meritxell Garcia1,
Monika Gloor2, Michaela Andelova3, Till Sprenger3,
Julia Reinhardt1, Christoph Stippich1, Ernst-Wilhelm
Radue4, Ludwig Kappos3, Oliver Bieri2
1Division
of Diagnostic & Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology,
Clinic of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University of Basel Hospital,
Basel, Switzerland; 2Division of Radiological Physics, Department
of Medical Radiology, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland; 3Department
of Neurology, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland; 4Medical
Imaging Analysis Center, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Magnetization transfer (MT) imaging has been reported to show increased sensitivity for MS lesions compared to conventional MRI. In contrast to MT ratio (MTR) reflecting a combination of various parameters, quantitative MT (qMT) provides information about single values quantitatively. The evolution of MS lesions is analysed with fast high-resolution qMT in 3D using balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP). Preliminary results show that compared to MTR and conventional MRI, qMT-bSSFP provides more detailed information about myelination and water properties of the whole lesion`s volume within 10 minutes. QMT might be of major significance for diagnostic assessment and therapeutical monitoring in MS.