Abstract #3624

Diffusion Basis Spectrum Imaging Accurately Reflects Underlying Pathologies in Multiple Sclerosis Lesions Missed by Conventional MRI and DTI

Yong Wang¹, Peng Sun², Fang-Chang Yeh³, Robert Naismith⁴,⁵, Anne H. Cross⁴,⁵, Sheng-Kwei Song¹,⁶

¹Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States; ²Radiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; ³2Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; ⁴Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States; ⁵Hope Center of Neurological disorders, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; ⁶Hope Center of Neurological disorders, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, United States

Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has limited capability to detect and quantify the severity and evolution of inflammation, axonal injury and demyelination, coexisting in multiple sclerosis (MS). Recently developed diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI) has demonstrated promise to address these limitations in animal studies. However, DBSI translation to MS patients has not been conducted. In this study, eight healthy volunteers and eight age gender matched MS patients underwent DBSI scans. We report that DBSI-biomarkers were able to reveal detailed pathological profiles within lesions that missed by conventional MRI and DTI.