Brain lesion microstructure in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein disease

• Published in: Journal of neuroimaging 2024-07, Vol.34 (4), p.459-465
• Main Authors: Lapucci, Caterina, Boccia, Vincenzo Daniele, Clementi, Thoma Dario, Schiavi, Simona, Benedetti, Luana, Uccelli, Antonio, Novi, Giovanni, Cellerino, Maria, Inglese, Matilde
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anisotropy; Aquaporin 4; Axons; Biomarkers; Brain; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain - pathology; Demyelination; diffusion; Diffusion Tensor Imaging - methods; Diffusivity; Female; Generalized linear models; Glycoproteins; Humans; Inflammation; Lesions; Magnetic resonance imaging; Male; Medical imaging; Microstructure; Middle Aged; MRI; Myelin; myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody‐associated disease; Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein - immunology; Neuroimaging; Neuromyelitis; Neuromyelitis Optica - diagnostic imaging; Neuromyelitis Optica - pathology; neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder; Oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein; Parameters; Statistical models; Subgroups; Substantia alba; Tensors; White Matter - diagnostic imaging; White Matter - pathology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1051-2284; 1552-6569; 1552-6569
• DOI: 10.1111/jon.13218

Background and purpose Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody‐associated disease (MOGAD) diagnosis are based on the presence of serological and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), neurites orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), and the Spherical Mean Technique (SMT) may be helpful to provide a microstructural characterization of the different types of white matter lesions and give an insight about their different pathological mechanisms. The aim of the study was to characterize microstructural differences between brain typical lesions (TLs) and nontypical lesions (nTLs). Methods A total of 17 NMOSD and MOGAD patients [9 Aquaporin4 (AQP4) + NMO, 2 seronegative‐NMO, 6 MOGAD] underwent MRI scans on a 3 Tesla MAGNETON PRISMA. Diffusion parameters (fractional anisotropy; mean diffusivity [MD]; intracellular volume fraction [ICVF]; extra‐neurite transverse diffusivity; and extra‐neurite MD; neurite signal fraction) were obtained using DTI, NODDI, and SMT. Microstructural parameters within lesions were compared through a generalized linear model using age, sex, and total lesion volume as covariates. Results In NMOSD/MOGAD whole cohort (total lesions = 477), TLs showed increased MD and decreased ICVF compared to nTLs (p