Gadolinium-based MRI characterization of leptomeningeal inflammation in multiple sclerosis

Martina Absinta; Luisa Vuolo; Anuradha Rao; Govind Nair; Pascal Sati; Irene C M Cortese; Joan Ohayon; Kaylan Fenton; María I Reyes-Mantilla; Dragan Maric; Peter A Calabresi; John A Butman; Carlos A Pardo; Daniel S Reich

doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001587

Gadolinium-based MRI characterization of leptomeningeal inflammation in multiple sclerosis

Neurology. 2015 Jul 7;85(1):18-28. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001587. Epub 2015 Apr 17.

Affiliations

¹ From the Translational Neuroradiology Unit (M.A., L.V., A.R., G.N., P.S., D.S.R.), Neuroimmunology Clinic (I.C.M.C., J.O., K.F.), and Flow Cytometry Core Facility (D.M.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD; Neuroimaging Research Unit (M.A.), Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan; Department of Neurology and Radiology (L.V.), University of Florence, Italy; Department of Neurology (M.I.R.-M., P.A.C., C.A.P.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore; and Diagnostic Radiology Department (J.A.B., D.S.R.), Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD.
² From the Translational Neuroradiology Unit (M.A., L.V., A.R., G.N., P.S., D.S.R.), Neuroimmunology Clinic (I.C.M.C., J.O., K.F.), and Flow Cytometry Core Facility (D.M.), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD; Neuroimaging Research Unit (M.A.), Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan; Department of Neurology and Radiology (L.V.), University of Florence, Italy; Department of Neurology (M.I.R.-M., P.A.C., C.A.P.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore; and Diagnostic Radiology Department (J.A.B., D.S.R.), Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD. daniel.reich@nih.gov.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency and nature of leptomeningeal contrast enhancement in multiple sclerosis (MS) via in vivo 3-tesla postcontrast T2-weighted, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI and 7-tesla postmortem MRI-pathology correlation.

Methods: Brain MRI, using the postcontrast T2-weighted, FLAIR technique, was prospectively collected in 299 MS cases and 37 age-matched neurologically healthy controls. Expert raters evaluated focal gadolinium enhancement in the leptomeningeal compartment. Two progressive MS cases came to autopsy after in vivo MRI characterization. Pathologic and immunohistochemical examination assessed the association of enhancement with leptomeningeal inflammation and adjacent cortical demyelination.

Results: Focal contrast enhancement was detected in the leptomeningeal compartment in 74 of 299 MS cases (25%) vs 1 of 37 neurologically healthy controls (2.7%; p = 0.001). Enhancement was nearly twice as frequent (p = 0.009) in progressive MS (39/118 cases, 33%) as in relapsing-remitting MS (35/181, 19%). Enhancing foci generally remained stable throughout the evaluation period (up to 5.5 years). Pathology showed perivascular lymphocytic and mononuclear infiltration in the enhancing areas in association with flanking subpial cortical demyelination.

Conclusion: Leptomeningeal contrast enhancement occurs frequently in MS and is a noninvasive, in vivo marker of inflammation and associated subpial demyelination. It might therefore enable testing of new treatments aimed at eliminating this inflammation and potentially arresting progressive MS.

Publication types

Editorial
Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

Gadolinium*
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
Meninges / pathology
Meningitis / complications
Meningitis / diagnosis*
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / complications
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / diagnosis*

Substances

Gadolinium

Grants and funding

Intramural NIH HHS/United States