Results of dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion MRI and clinical scales in 36 patients with multiple sclerosis.
Description
The research objective for these data was to find correlations between brain regional perfusion changes in patients with multiple sclerosis and particular clinical symptoms. 36 patients with multiple sclerosis and 7 healthy volunteers underwent accessment with clinical scales and questionaires and dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion MRI. Perfusion values were measured in 16 regions of interest in brainstem, basal ganglia and hemispheres. Measurements of Cerebral Blood Volume (CBV) and Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) in lenticular nuclei bilaterally showed significant reduction in patients with all levels of disability comparing with healthy controls. Significant negative correlation was found between CBF in lenticular nuclei bilaterally and fatigue rates (measured by the Fatigue Severity Scale (Krupp, La Rocca et al, 1989)) . Further research on bigger samples can be helpful in finding new correlations between brain perfusion changes and particular clinical symptoms for better understanding of the underlying pathological mechanisms and developing new treatment approaches.