Abstract #1383

QSM and R2* capture physical and cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis

Vanessa Wiggermann^1,2, Shawna Abel³, Irene M Vavasour⁴, Enedino Hernández-Torres³, Christian Kames^1,2, David KB Li^4,5, Roger Tam^4,5, Shannon H Kolind^1,3, Anthony Traboulsee³, and Alexander Rauscher^1,2

¹Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, ²Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, ³Medicine (Neurology), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, ⁴Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, ⁵MS/MRI Research (Neurology), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Abnormalities seen on clinical MRIs in the brain and spinal cord of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients lack specificity to myelin. Thus, efficacy of new treatments that aim to protect or remyelinate cannot be fully captured. Quantitative MR metrics, such as R₂* and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), have demonstrated good sensitivity to myelin and iron-related tissue changes, but the clinical relevance of such changes has not yet been assessed. We showed that R₂* provides good group-wise distinction of MS patients and controls, while QSM values reflected clinically meaningful variations in upper and lower motor function as well as cognitive processing speed.

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