Abstract
This study was performed to achieve a better definition of the nature of the disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). Axial spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at C5 was obtained in 15 patients with benign MS, 17 patients with secondary progressive MS and 10 healthy controls. Patients with secondary progressive MS had smaller spinal cord cross-sectional area (P = 0.01) and transverse diameter (P = 0.006) than patients with benign MS. The degree of disability was inversely correlated with both the cross-sectional area (r = −0.6,P = 0.0018) and transverse diameter (r = −0.5,P = 0.0032) of the cord. Spinal cord atrophy was found in 7 (41%) patients with secondary progressive MS and in 2 (13%) with benign MS. These findings suggest that destructive pathology within MS lesions might play a relevant role in the development of disability in MS.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barnes D, Munro PMG, Youl BD, Prineas JW, McDonald WI (1991) The longstanding MS lesion. A quantitative MRI and electron microscopic study. Brain 114: 1271–1280
Dousset V, Grossman RI, Ramer KN, Schnall MD, Young LH, Gonzales-Scarano F, Lavi H, Cohen JA (1992) Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis: lesion characterization with magnetization transfer imaging. Radiology 182: 483–491
Dousset V, Brochet B, Vital A, Gross C, Bernazzouz A, Boullerne A, Bidabe AM, Gin AM, Caille JM (1995) Lysolecithin-induced demyelination in primates: preliminary in-vivo study with MR and magnetization transfer. AJNR 16: 225–231
Filippi M, Barker GJ, Horsfield MA, Sacares PR, MacManus DG, Thompson AJ, Tofts PS, McDonald WI, Miller DH (1994) Benign and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: a preliminary quantitative MRI study. J Neurol 241: 246–251
Filippi M, Campi A, Mammi S, Martinelli V, Locatelli T, Scotti G, Amadio S, Canal N, Comi G (1995) Brain magnetic resonance imaging and multimodal evoked potentials in benign and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 58: 31–37
Filippi M, Paty DW, Kappos L, Barkhof F, Compston DAS, Thompson AJ, Zhao GJ, Wiles CM, McDonald WI, Miller DH (1995) Correlations between changes in disability and T2-weighted brain MRI activity in multiple sclerosis: a follow up study. Neurology 45: 255–260
Filippi M, Campi A, Dousset V, Baratti C, Martinelli V, Canal N, Scotti G, Comi G (1995) A magnetization transfer imaging study of the normal appearing white matter in multiple sclerosis. Neurology 45: 478–482
Filippi M, Horsfield MA, Tofts PS, Barkhof F, Thompson AJ, Miller DH (1995) Quantitative assessment of MRI lesion load in monitoring the evolution of multiple sclerosis. Brain 118: 1601–1612
Gass A, Barker GJ, Kidd D, Thorpe JW, MacManus DG, Brennan A, Tofts PS, Thompson AJ, McDonald WI, Miller DH (1994) Correlation of magnetization transfer ratio with clinical disability in multiple sclerosis. Ann Neurol 36: 62–67
Kidd D, Thorpe JW, Thompson AJ, Kendall BE, Moseley IF, MacManus DG, McDonald WI, Miller DH (1993) Spinal cord MRI using multi-array coils and fast spin echo. II. Findings in multiple sclerosis. Neurology 43: 2632–2637
Kidd D, Thompson AJ, Kendall BE, Miller DH, McDonald WI (1994) Benign form of multiple sclerosis: MRI evidence for less frequent and less inflammatory disease activity. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 57: 1070–1072
Koopmans RA, Li DKB, Grochowski E, Cutler PJ, Paty DW (1989) Benign versus chronic-progressive multiple sclerosis: magnetic resonance imaging features. Ann Neurol 25: 74–81
Kurtzke IF (1983) Rating neurologic impairment in multiple sclerosis: an expanded disability status scale (EDSS). Neurology: 1444–1452
Poser CM, Paty DW, McDonald WI, Davis FA, Ebers GC, Johnson KP, Sibley WA, Silberberg DH (1983) New diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: guidelines for research protocols. Ann Neurol 13: 227–231
Thompson AJ, Kermode AG, MacManus DG, Kendall BE, Kingsley DPE, Moseley IF, McDonald WI (1990) Patterns of disease activity in multiple sclerosis: clinical and magnetic resonance imaging study. BMJ 300: 631–634
Thompson AJ, Miller DH, Youl B, MacManus DG, Moore S, Kingsley D, Kendall BE, Feinstein A, McDonald WI (1992) Serial gadolinium-enhanced MRI in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis of varying disease duration. Neurology 42: 60–63
Zar J (1984) Measures of dispersion and variability. In: Zar J (ed) Biostatistical analysis, 2nd ed. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, pp 27–39
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Filippi, M., Campi, A., Colombo, B. et al. A spinal cord MRI study of benign and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. J Neurol 243, 502–505 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00886870
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00886870