Abstract #3618

Magnetization Transfer Ratio of Normal Appearing Subcortical Brain Structures in MS Patients Measured with Balanced Steady State Free Precession Imaging

Michael Amann¹, Michaela Andelova², Athina Papadopoulou²,³, Yvonne Naegelin², Julia Reinhardt, Katrin Weier², Ernst-Wilhelm Radue³, Ludwig Kappos², Oliver Bieri⁴, Christoph Stippich, Till Sprenger¹

¹Neurology/Neuroradiology, Universitätsspital Basel, Basel, BS, Switzerland; ²Neurology, Universitätsspital Basel, Basel, BS, Switzerland; ³Medical Image Analysis Centre, Basel, BS, Switzerland; ⁴Medical Physics, University of Basel Hospital, Basel, BS, Switzerland

In this study, we measured the brain's magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR) in 75 multiple sclerosis patients with balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP). The study protocol included a 3D DIR sequence, a volumetric 3D-T1w scan and the 3D bSSFP MTR sequence. The T1w volumes were segmented into grey matter, white matter and CSF, also subcortical segmentation was performed. Normal appearing white matter had highest and nucleus accumbens had lowest MTR, both differed significantly from all other structures. The MTR of the thalamus was also significant different from all other structures, and it was closer to white matter MTR than to the MTR of cortex.