부산대학교 도서관

ObjectivesMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. Increasing evidence indicates additional peripheral nerve involvement in early and chronic disease stages. To investigate the evolution of peripheral nerve changes in patients first diagnosed with MS using quantitative MR neurography.Materials and methodsThis prospective study included 19 patients with newly diagnosed MS according to the revised McDonald criteria (16 female, mean 30.2 ± 7.1 years) and 19 age-/sex-matched healthy volunteers. High-resolution 3 T MR neurography of the sciatic nerve using a quantitative T2-relaxometry sequence was performed, which yielded the biomarkers of T2 relaxation time (T2app) and proton spin density (PSD). Follow-up scans of patients were performed after median of 12 months (range 7–16). Correlation analyses considered clinical symptoms, intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis, nerve conduction study, and lesion load on brain and spine MRI.ResultsPatients showed increased T2app and decreased PSD compared to healthy controls at initial diagnosis and follow-up (p