Features of brain multiple sclerosis in magnetic resonance imaging / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To obtain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) symptoms that could be used in medical diagnosis and identification by analyzing the diverse MRI appearance of brain multiple sclerosis(MS).Methods MRI findings of 41 samples of clinically definite MS, including the numbers, distributions, sizes, and shapes of the lesions were analyzed. The symbolic characteristics and enhanced expression are also covered.Results Brain MS might happen singly and multiply, and more frequently with multiple happening. In a multiple case, 4—15 lesions were observed the most. Some samples showed with diffuse lesions which were unable to be counted accurately presenting as a “dirty-appearing white matter”. The distribution of the lesions was observed most frequently at the two sides of periventricle, and following by the subcortical, corpus callosum, and brainstem. Only two lesions were observed at cerebrum. The size of most lesions range from a few millimeters to 2 cm, accounting for about 75% of the total samples. Lesions with size above 2 cm were seen seldomly, with the biggest one of 6—7 cm. According to the shapes and symptoms, lesions might be categorized as an acute and chronic ones. The acute lesions had a shape of oval or circle, with a swelling appearance, low signal of T_1WI, and isointensity or a slightly higher signal on the circle. T_2WI showed a high signal, with different increase and showing “core+lunar” sign. This kind of lesions showed an enhancement with the circle enhancement as the most typical one, which had a complete circle or non-conplete arc shape enhancement, even the big lesions. The chronic lesion might also be divided into two categories. One was the quasi-symmetric lesion, with the distribution along two sides of periventricle and with the shape of small puncture/patch, part of them merged into the big patch; another kind of lesions was found scattered sparsely at frontal, parietal lobes and two sides of the periventricle, with small patches in shape. The chronic lesions had an appearance of shrinking, sharp edge, even signals, and had no lunar circle phenomena and obvious enhancement.Conclusion Brain MS have diverse MRI appearence, with some of which are unique and symbolic.