Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Multiple sclerosis lesions develop around small veins that are radiologically described as the so-called central vein sign. With 7T MR imaging and magnetic susceptibility–based sequences, the central vein sign has been observed in 80%–100% of MS lesions in patients’ brains. However, a lower proportion ∼50% has been reported at 3T using susceptibility-weighted angiography (SWAN). Our aim was to assess a modified version of SWAN optimized at 3T for sensitive detection of the central vein sign.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty subjects with MS were scanned on a 3T clinical MR imaging system. 3D T2-weighted FLAIR and optimized 3D SWAN called SWAN-venule, were acquired after injection of a gadolinium-based contrast agent. Patients showing >3 focal white matter lesions were included. The central vein sign was recorded by 2 trained raters on SWAN-venule images in the supratentorial brain.
RESULTS: Twenty patients showing >3 white matter lesions were included. A total of 380 white matter lesions (135 periventricular, 144 deep white matter, and 101 juxtacortical) seen on both FLAIR and SWAN-venule images were analyzed. Overall, the central vein sign was detected in 86% of the white matter lesions (periventricular, 89%; deep white matter, 95%; and juxtacortical, 78%).
CONCLUSIONS: The SWAN-venule technique is an optimized MR imaging sequence for highly sensitive detection of the central vein sign in MS brain lesions. This work will facilitate the validation and integration of the central vein sign to increase the diagnostic certainty of MS and further prevent misdiagnosis in clinical practice.
ABBREVIATIONS:
- CVS
- central vein sign
- RRMS
- relapsing-remitting MS
- SWAN
- susceptibility-weighted angiography
- WML
- white matter lesion
Footnotes
Paper previously presented at: Annual Meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, September 11–13, 2019; Stockholm, Sweden.
Disclosures: Maria Ines Gaitán—RELATED: Support for Travel to Meetings for the Study or Other Purposes: Merck Serono Argentina, Comments: travel/accommodations/meeting expenses to European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis 2019, where I presented part of the data; UNRELATED: Payment for Development of Educational Presentations: Biogen Argentina, Merck Serono Argentina, Novartis Argentina; Travel/Accommodations/Meeting Expenses Unrelated to Activities Listed: Biogen Argentina, Merck Serono Argentina, Roche Argentina. Eduardo Figueiredo—UNRELATED: Employment: GE Healthcare. Jorge Correale—UNRELATED: Consultancy: Merck Serono Argentina, Biogen Argentina, Biogen Global, Genzyme Argentina, Genzyme Global, Novartis Argentina, Roche Argentina; Payment for Lectures Including Service on Speakers Bureaus: Merck Serono Argentina, Novartis Argentina, Genzyme Argentina, Roche Argentina, Biogen Argentina; Travel/Accommodations/Meeting Expenses Unrelated to Activities Listed: Merck Serono Argentina.
- © 2020 by American Journal of Neuroradiology