Influence of Residual Quadrupolar Interaction on Quantitative Sodium Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Patients With Multiple Sclerosis.

Objectives: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the influence of residual quadrupolar interaction on the determination of human brain apparent tissue sodium concentrations (aTSCs) using quantitative sodium magnetic resonance imaging ( 23 Na MRI) in healthy controls (HCs) and patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Especially, it was investigated if the more detailed examination of residual quadrupolar interaction effects enables further analysis of the observed 23 Na MRI signal increase in MS patients.

Materials And Methods: 23 Na MRI with a 7 T MR system was performed on 21 HC and 50 MS patients covering all MS subtypes (25 patients with relapsing-remitting MS, 14 patients with secondary progressive MS, and 11 patients with primary progressive MS) using 2 different 23 Na pulse sequences for quantification: a commonly used standard sequence (aTSC Std ) as well as a sequence with shorter excitation pulse length and lower flip angle for minimizing signal loss resulting from residual quadrupolar interactions (aTSC SP ).

Breastfeeding in Mothers with Multiple Sclerosis: The German Experience.

Many female people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) are in childbearing age; however, only few data exist about the situation of breastfeeding in pwMS. Our study analyzed breastfeeding rate and duration, reasons for weaning, and the impact of disease severity on successful breastfeeding in pwMS. The study included pwMS giving birth within 3 years before study participation.

Quantitative 7T sodium magnetic resonance imaging of the human brain using a 32-channel phased-array head coil: Application to patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Apparent tissue sodium concentrations (aTSCs) determined by Na brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have the potential to serve as a biomarker in pathologies such as multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the quantification is hindered by the intrinsically low signal-to-noise ratio of Na MRI. The purpose of this study was to improve the accuracy and reliability of quantitative Na brain MRI by implementing a dedicated postprocessing pipeline and to evaluate the applicability of the developed approach for the examination of MS patients.

Direct imaging of white matter ultrashort T components at 7 Tesla.

Purpose: To demonstrate direct imaging of the white matter ultrashort T components at 7 Tesla using inversion recovery (IR)-enhanced ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI. To investigate its characteristics, potentials and limitations, and to establish a clinical protocol.

Material And Methods: The IR UTE technique suppresses long T signals within white matter by using adiabatic inversion in combination with dual-echo difference imaging.

Longitudinal Sodium MRI of Multiple Sclerosis Lesions: Is there Added Value of Sodium Inversion Recovery MRI.

Background: Sodium enhancement has been demonstrated in multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions.

Purpose: To investigate sodium MRI with and without an inversion recovery pulse in acute MS lesions in an MS relapse and during recovery.

Study Type: Prospective.

Real world application of ocrelizumab in multiple sclerosis: Single-center experience of 128 patients.

Background: Pivotal trials showed good clinical efficiency of the monoclonal antibody ocrelizumab while being well tolerated and manageable in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, data on adverse events in everyday practice are scarce. Hence, our study aims at investigating short-term tolerability of ocrelizumab in a "real-world" setting.

Potential of Sodium MRI as a Biomarker for Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation in Multiple Sclerosis.

In multiple sclerosis (MS), experimental and studies indicate that pathologic intra- and extracellular sodium accumulation may play a pivotal role in inflammatory as well as neurodegenerative processes. Yet, assessment of sodium in the microenvironment is hard to achieve. Here, sodium magnetic resonance imaging (NaMRI) with its non-invasive properties offers a unique opportunity to further elucidate the effects of sodium disequilibrium in MS pathology in addition to regular proton based MRI.

No evidence of disease activity status over 3 years in a real-world cohort of relapsing remitting MS patients in Germany.

Background: Over the last decade, therapy of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) has evolved with the approval of several new treatment concepts. Thus, treatment goals have become more ambitious aiming at "no evidence of disease activity" (NEDA). As NEDA-3, this concept comprises freedom of clinical disease progression and relapses as well as inflammatory MRI activity.

Lesion correlates of secondary paroxysmal dyskinesia in multiple sclerosis.

Secondary paroxysmal dyskinesia is a rare but life-quality-compromising symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) and might be associated with particular MS lesions. The present study intended to determine associations between paroxysmal dyskinesia and the MS-associated lesion site using a voxelwise lesion analysis. We conducted a retrospective study and sought MS patients with documented paroxysmal dyskinesia and controls without paroxysmal dyskinesia matched for age, disease severity, and disease duration in a local database.

Alemtuzumab as rescue therapy in a cohort of 50 relapsing-remitting MS patients with breakthrough disease on fingolimod: a multi-center observational study.

Background: Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) requires efficient immunomodulatory treatment to reach "no evidence of disease activity" status at best. Alemtuzumab and fingolimod have proved to be efficient options in RRMS with active disease course. Yet, side effects and break-through disease may limit long-time treatment and necessitate switch of medication.

Na MRI reveals persistent sodium accumulation in tumefactive MS lesions.

Background: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the CNS typically show a limited lesion size. However, extended lesions may appear with an atypical configuration. Large lesions with a diameter>2cm accompanied by tumor-like edema are entitled "tumefactive" and may occur in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating diseases.

Fingolimod effects in neuroinflammation: Regulation of astroglial glutamate transporters?

Fingolimod is an oral sphingosine-1-phosphate-receptor modulator which reduces the recirculation of immune cells and may also directly target glial cells. Here we investigate effects of fingolimod on expression of astroglial glutamate transporters under pro-inflammatory conditions. In astrocyte cell culture, the addition of pro-inflammatory cytokines led to a significant downregulation of glutamate transporters glutamate transporter-1 (slc1a2/SLC1A2) and glutamate aspartate transporter (slc1a3/SLC1A3) expression on the mRNA or protein level.

Retinal imaging and axonal degeneration in later onset multiple sclerosis.

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the CNS typically affecting younger adults and resulting in neuro-axonal degeneration already at early stages of the disease. Less is known about the effects of a later disease onset (LOMS, onset >50years of age). Analysis of retinal layers by optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive method to investigate retinal and neuro-axonal degeneration.

Baseline magnetic resonance imaging of the optic nerve provides limited predictive information on short-term recovery after acute optic neuritis.

Background: In acute optic neuritis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may help to confirm the diagnosis as well as to exclude alternative diagnoses. Yet, little is known on the value of optic nerve imaging for predicting clinical symptoms or therapeutic outcome.

Purpose: To evaluate the benefit of optic nerve MRI for predicting response to appropriate therapy and recovery of visual acuity.

Pneumococcal-meningitis associated acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) - case report of effective early immunotherapy.

Introduction: Unvaccinated patients with history of splenectomy are prone to fulminant courses of Streptococcus pneumoniae-associated bacterial meningitis. Besides direct brain damage those patients may additionally suffer from parainfectious syndromes, notably vasculitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Differentiation and treatment of these immunological reactions is challenging.