Abstract #1108

Quantitative High-Field MRI of Multiple Sclerosis

David A. Rudko¹, Joseph S. Gati¹, Marcelo Kremenchutzky², Ravi Menon¹

¹Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada; ²Clinical Neurological Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada

This study employed high-resolution magnetic susceptibility-based MRI at 7 T to identify regions of increased iron deposition and decreased myelination in MS patients compared to healthy, age-matched control subjects. Consistent differences in R₂^* and QS maps were observed in the basal ganglia structures and the optic radiations of MS patients compared to controls. Group-averaged R₂^* and QS and LFS maps were used to delineate regions in normal-appearing white and gray matter showing increased iron deposition and demyelination. Additionally, lesion visibility on 7 T MP-FLAIR, T1_w and susceptibility contrasts were used to assess lesion activity and iron deposition in white matter lesions.