MRI scans were obtained of the cervical section of the spinal cords of 30 patients with remitting multiple sclerosis. During the study period, patients received immunomodulatory agents (seven received interferon β-1a, 13 received interferon β-1b, and 10 received glatiramer acetate). Total focus volume in brain matter was assessed before and after treatment, along with the linear size of the spinal cord on sagittal sections at the level of the inferior margin of the body of C2. There was a significant (p = 0.002) reduction in focus volume in the group overall, from 10993 mm3 (8098–13888 mm3, p < 0.05; Me = 9336) to 5630 mm3 (7400–3860 mm3, p < 0.05, Me = 4180). There were also significant decreases in focus volume on the background of treatment with interferon β-1b and glatiramer acetate (p = 0.026 and 0.027, respectively). Significant differences between groups were found in the magnitudes of increases in spinal cord atrophy: H (2, n = 30) = 8.06; p = 0.0178. Patients given glatiramer acetate showed a significantly smaller increase in atrophy as compared with those treated with interferon β (p < 0.02).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
N. N. Spirin, E. G. Shipova, E. I. Shumakov, and I. O. Stepanov, “Vertebral syndrome in multiple sclerosis: causes, clinical features, and questions of differential diagnosis,” Zh. Nevrol. Psikhiat., (special issue: Multiple Sclerosis), 3, 50–55 (2006).
P. A. Brex, S. M. Leary, and J. I. O'Riordan, “Measurement of spinal cord area in clinically isolated syndromes suggestive of multiple sclerosis,” J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat., 70, 544–554 (2001).
X. Lin, C. R. Tench, B. Turner, et al., “Spinal cord atrophy and disability in multiple sclerosis over four years: application of a reproducible automated technique in monitoring disease progression in a cohort of the interferon-1a (Rebif) treatment trial,” J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat., 74, 1090–1094 (2003).
N. A. Loseff, S. L. Webb, J. I. O'Riordan, et al., “Spinal cord atrophy and disability in multiple sclerosis. A new reproducible and sensitive MRI method with potential to monitor disease progression,” Brain, 119, 701–708 (1996).
D. H. Miller, F. Barkhof, J. A. Frank, et al., “Measurement of atrophy in multiple sclerosis: pathological basis, methodological aspects and clinical relevance,” Brain, 125, 1676–1695 (2002).
S. Narayanan, D. L. Collins, S. Francis, and D. L. Arnold, “Spinal cord cross-sectional area correlates with brain and intra-cranial volume,” in: Proceedings of the 11th Annual Meeting of ISMRM, Toronto (Canada) (2003), Abstract 270.
C. H. Polman, S. C. Reingold, G. Edan, et al., “Diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: 2005 revisions to the ‘McDonald Criteria',” Ann. Neurol., 58, 840–846 (2005).
A. Pou Serradell, J. Rouer Gonzalez, and X. Perich Alsina, “Acute posterior cord lesions in multiple sclerosis. An MRI study of the clinical course in 20 cases,” Rev. Neurol. (Paris), 156, 1126–1135 (2000).
W. Rashid, G. R. Davies, D. T. Chard, et al., “Increasing cord atrophy in early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a 3 year study,” J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat., 77, 51–55 (2006).
W. Rashid, G. R. Davies, D. T. Chard, et al., “Upper cervical cord area in early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: cross-sectional study of factors influencing cord size,” J. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 23, 473–476 (2006).
V. L. Stevenson, S. M. Leary, N. A. Losseff, et al., “Spinal cord atrophy and disability in MS: a longitudinal study,” Neurology, 51, 234–238 (1998).
K. R. Thielen and G. M. Miller, “Multiple sclerosis of the spinal cord: magnetic resonance appearance,” J. Comput. Ass. Tomogr., 20, 434–438 (1996).
I. Trop, P. M. Bourguin, Y. Lapierre, et al., “Multiple sclerosis of the spinal cord: diagnosis and follow-up with contrast-enhanced MR and correlation with clinical activity,” Am. J. Neuroradiol., 19, 1025–1033 (1998).
L. Vaithianathar, C. R. Tench, P. S. Morgan, and C. S. Constantinescu, “Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spinal cord in multiple sclerosis. A quantitative T1 relaxation time mapping approach,” J. Neurol., 56, 1628–1636 (2003).
R. Zivadinov and R. Bakshi, “Role of MRI in multiple sclerosis II: brain and spinal cord atrophy,” Front. Biosci., 9, 647–664 (2004).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Translated from Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S. S. Korsakova, Multiple Sclerosis, Supplement, No. 4, pp. 129–132, 2007.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shipova, E.G., Spirin, N.N., Kasatkin, D.S. et al. State of the cervical section of the spinal cord in patients with remitting multiple sclerosis during immunomodulatory treatment. Neurosci Behav Physi 39, 47–51 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-008-9102-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-008-9102-6