Mult Scler. 2015 Jul 24. pii: 1352458515591069. [Epub ahead of print]
resonance imaging.
Author information
- 1Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- 2Johns Hopkins Transverse Myelitis and Multiple Sclerosis Centers, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- 3Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA/Department of Radiology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
- 4Division of Neuroimmunology and Neuroinfectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- 5Department of Biostatistics, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- 6Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- 7Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Neuromyelitis Optica Clinic Baltimore, MD, USA.
- 8Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA iizbuda1@jhmi.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Although spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) have been described, there is limited data available that help differentiate NMO from other causes of longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM).
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the spinal MRI findings of LETM that help differentiate NMO at the acute stage from multiple sclerosis (MS) and other causes of LETM.
METHODS:
We enrolled 94 patients with LETM into our study. Bright spotty lesions (BSL), the lesion distribution and location were evaluated on axial T2-weighted images. Brainstem extension, cord expansion, T1 darkness and lesion enhancement were noted. We also reviewed the brain MRI of the patients during LETM.
RESULTS:
Patients with NMO had a greater amount of BSL and T1 dark lesions (p < 0.001 and 0.003, respectively). The lesions in NMO patients were more likely to involve greater than one-half of the spinal cord’s cross-sectional area; to enhance and be centrally-located, or both centrally- and peripherally-located in the cord. Of the 62 available brain MRIs, 14 of the 27 whom were NMO patients had findings that may be specific to NMO.
CONCLUSIONS:
Certain spinal cord MRI features are more commonly seen in NMO patients and so obtaining brain MRI during LETM may support diagnosis.
© The Author(s), 2015.
KEYWORDS:
Brain; diagnostic imaging; lesions; magnetic resonance imaging; neuroimaging; neuromyelitis optica; spinal cord; transverse myelitis
- PMID:
- 26209588
- [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]