Differences between relapsing-remitting and chronic progressive multiple sclerosis as determined with quantitative MR imaging

PURPOSE: To investigate the cross-sectional relationships among multiple qu antitative brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging measurements in patients w ith relapsing-remitting versus chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with MS (relapsing-remitting, 26 chronic progressive, 12) were examined. Lesion volume on T2-weighted MR images, contrast material-enhancing lesion volume, percentage of brain pare nchymal volume (brain voiume/[brain volume + cerebrospinal fluid volume]), and magnetization transfer ratio histogram peak height for the whole brain were calculated. RESULTS: Significant negative correlation was noted between volume on T2-we ighted images and magnetization transfer ratio histogram peak height for bo th the relapsing-remitting and chronic progressive groups (P < .001 for bot h). A positive correlation was demonstrated for lesion volume on T2-weighte d images and enhancing lesion volume in the relapsing-remitting group (P < .01) but not in the chronic progressive group. Negative correlations were d emonstrated for enhancing lesion volume and magnetization transfer ratio hi stogram peak height (P = .02), for :Expanded Disability Status Scale score and magnetization transfer histogram peak height (P = .02), and for Expande d Disability Status Scale score and percentage of brain parenchymal volume in the relapsing-remitting group (P = .004) but not in the chronic progress ive group. CONCLUSION: The cross-sectional relationships among multiple quantitative b rain MR imaging measurements are different between relapsing-remitting and chronic progressive MS.