Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
201,683 studies31 sourcesUpdated 31 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0BMC Medical Imaging

Associations between different types of chronic lesions and gray matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis

  • Hai Hu1
  • Ping Wu2
  • Yongmei Li3
  • Tianfang Zeng4
  • Liang Gong4
  • Dandan Li5
  • Zhuowei Shi3
  • Hao Xie6
  • Long Ye3,7
  • Guangwen Chen1
  • Jie Li1
7 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Radiology, West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Sichuan University affiliated Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, No.10 Qingyun South Street, Jinjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 610011 China
  2. 2Department of Radiology, The Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Longquanyi, Chengdu, No. 222 Qingtaishan Road, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, Sichuan 610100 China
  3. 3Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016 China
  4. 4Department of Neurology, West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Sichuan University affiliated Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, No.10 Qingyun South Street, Jinjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 610011 China
  5. 5Department of Orthopedics, West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Sichuan University affiliated Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, No.10 Qingyun South Street, Jinjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 610011 China
  6. 6Department of Radiology, West China Hospital Sichuan University Jintang Hospital, Jintang First People’s Hospital, No.886 Jinguang Road, Jintang County, Chengdu, 610400 China
  7. 7Department of Radiology, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 12 Changjia Street, Fucheng District, Mianyang, Sichuan 621000 China
Read full textDOICite

Abstract

Background: Focal lesions are one of the key factors contributing to brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This study aimed to investigate the associations between the different types of chronic lesions and gray matter atrophy in MS patients.

Methods: The study recruited MS patients from two institutions, along with healthy controls (HCs). Lesions were classified into paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) and non-PRLs. Lesion volume, diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) parameters, brain volume (BV), gray matter volume (GMV), and cortical thickness (CT) were extracted. Differences between PRLs and non-PRLs, as well as between MS and HC groups, were analyzed. The associations between lesions and brain structure features were assessed using a general linear model.

Results: The study included 46 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients and 31 HCs. A total of 940 chronic lesions were collected, of which 382 were PRLs (41%) and the remainder were non-PRLs. PRLs had larger volume and lower DKI parameters compared to non-PRLs. The MS group showed reduced GMV and CT compared to the HC group. The volume of all lesion types was negatively correlated with brain structure features, while some DKI parameters showed positive correlations. The Kr value of non-PRLs, the Kr value of whole lesions, and the volume of whole lesions were most strongly correlated with GMV, BV, and CT, respectively.

Conclusion: Both the volume and microstructural damage of chronic MS lesions are associated with gray matter atrophy. Contrary to expectations, the microstructural impairment of non-PRLs showed a stronger association with atrophy than that of the more destructive PRLs. This highlights the need to pay more attention to the role of non-PRLs in disease progression.

Related

  1. Domain-Specific Cognitive Associations With Standing Balance in Multiple Sclerosis
    Patrick G. Monaghan, Michael VanNostrand, Taylor N. Takla +1
    International Journal of MS CarePeer-reviewedLicence not statedFull textGeneral medicinePMC
  2. Chronic lesion expansion persists in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and is associated with neurodegeneration
    S. Klistorner, M. Barnett, A. Klistorner
    medRxivPreprintAll rights reservedFull textNeurologymedRxiv
  3. CNM-Au8 Treatment Is Associated With Reduced Chronic Lesion Tissue Expansion in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
    S. Klistorner, M. Hotchkin, B. Greenberg +13
    medRxivPreprintAll rights reservedFull textNeurologymedRxiv
  4. Microstructural phenotyping and clinical relevance of multiple sclerosis lesions using quantitative susceptibility source separation
    E. Martinez-Heras, M. Alberich, H.-G. Shin +7
    medRxivPreprintCC BY-NC-NDFull textNeurologymedRxiv
  5. Proportionate and disproportionate reporting of different infectious complications of disease modifying therapy in multiple sclerosis.
    Frederike Kadgien, Katja Hummel, Peter Trillenberg
    Neurological research and practicePeer-reviewedCC BYFull textPharmacology & toxicologyEurope PMCDOAJ

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{hu2026associations,
  title = {{Associations between different types of chronic lesions and gray matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis}},
  author = {Hai Hu and Ping Wu and Yongmei Li and Tianfang Zeng and Liang Gong and Dandan Li and Zhuowei Shi and Hao Xie and Long Ye and Guangwen Chen and Jie Li},
  journal = {BMC Medical Imaging},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1186/s12880-026-02656-x},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12880-026-02656-x},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Associations between different types of chronic lesions and gray matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis
AU  - Hai Hu
AU  - Ping Wu
AU  - Yongmei Li
AU  - Tianfang Zeng
AU  - Liang Gong
AU  - Dandan Li
AU  - Zhuowei Shi
AU  - Hao Xie
AU  - Long Ye
AU  - Guangwen Chen
AU  - Jie Li
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/07
JO  - BMC Medical Imaging
DO  - 10.1186/s12880-026-02656-x
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12880-026-02656-x
AB  - Background: Focal lesions are one of the key factors contributing to brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This study aimed to investigate the associations between the different types of chronic lesions and gray matter atrophy in MS patients.  Methods: The study recruited MS patients from two institutions, along with healthy controls (HCs). Lesions were classified into paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) and non-PRLs. Lesion volume, diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) parameters, brain volume (BV), gray matter volume (GMV), and cortical thickness (CT) were extracted. Differences between PRLs and non-PRLs, as well as between MS and HC groups, were analyzed. The associations between lesions and brain structure features were assessed using a general linear model.  Results: The study included 46 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients and 31 HCs. A total of 940 chronic lesions were collected, of which 382 were PRLs (41%) and the remainder were non-PRLs. PRLs had larger volume and lower DKI parameters compared to non-PRLs. The MS group showed reduced GMV and CT compared to the HC group. The volume of all lesion types was negatively correlated with brain structure features, while some DKI parameters showed positive correlations. The Kr value of non-PRLs, the Kr value of whole lesions, and the volume of whole lesions were most strongly correlated with GMV, BV, and CT, respectively.  Conclusion: Both the volume and microstructural damage of chronic MS lesions are associated with gray matter atrophy. Contrary to expectations, the microstructural impairment of non-PRLs showed a stronger association with atrophy than that of the more destructive PRLs. This highlights the need to pay more attention to the role of non-PRLs in disease progression.
SN  - 1471-2342
ER  -