Journal of the neurological sciences
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Comparative Study
MRI T2 hypointensity of the dentate nucleus is related to ambulatory impairment in multiple sclerosis.
MRI T2 hypointensity in multiple sclerosis (MS) gray matter, suggesting iron deposition, is associated with physical disability, disease course, lesion load, and brain atrophy. Ambulatory dysfunction limits quality of life; however correlation with conventional MRI remains poor. ⋯ T2 hypointensity is present in subcortical gray matter nuclei in patients with MS vs. normal controls. Dentate nucleus T2 hypointensity is independently related to ambulatory impairment and disability, accounting for more variance than conventional lesion and atrophy measures. This study adds more weight to the notion that T2 hypointensity is a clinically relevant marker of tissue damage in MS.