BACKGROUND Thalamic pathology is a marker for neurodegeneration and multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression. OBJECTIVE To characterize (1) the morphology of thalamic lesions, (2) their relation to cortical and white matter (WM) lesions, and (3) clinical measures, and to assess (4) the imaging correlates of thalamic atrophy. METHODS A total of 90 MS patients and 44 healthy controls underwent acquisition of 7 Tesla images for lesion segmentation and 3 Tesla scans for atrophy evaluation. Thalamic lesions were classified according to the shape and the presence of a central venule. Regression analysis identified the predictors of (1) thalamic atrophy, (2) neurological disability, and (3) information processing speed. RESULTS Thalamic lesions were mostly ovoid than periventricular, and for the great majority (78%) displayed a central venule. Lesion volume in the thalamus, cortex, and WM did not correlate with each other. Thalamic atrophy was only associated with WM lesion volume (p = 0.002); subpial and WM lesion volumes were associated with neurological disability (p = 0.016; p < 0.001); and WM and thalamic lesion volumes were related with cognitive impairment (p < 0.001; p = 0.03). CONCLUSION Thalamic lesions are unrelated to those in the cortex and WM, suggesting that they may not share common pathogenic mechanisms and do not contribute to thalamic atrophy. Combined WM, subpial, and thalamic lesion volumes at 7 Tesla contribute to the disease severity.

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通过超高场 MRI 表征丘脑病变及其在多发性硬化症中的相关性

背景丘脑病理学是神经变性和多发性硬化(MS)疾病进展的标志。目的 表征 (1) 丘脑病变的形态，(2) 它们与皮质和白质 (WM) 病变的关系，以及 (3) 临床测量，并评估 (4) 丘脑萎缩的成像相关性。方法 共有 90 名 MS 患者和 44 名健康对照者接受了 7 次特斯拉图像的采集用于病变分割和 3 次特斯拉扫描用于萎缩评估。丘脑病变根据中央微静脉的形状和存在进行分类。回归分析确定了 (1) 丘脑萎缩、(2) 神经功能障碍和 (3) 信息处理速度的预测因素。结果丘脑病变大多呈卵圆形而不是脑室周围，并且绝大多数（78%）显示中央微静脉。丘脑、皮质和 WM 的病灶体积彼此不相关。丘脑萎缩仅与 WM 病灶体积有关 (p = 0.002)；软膜下和 WM 病变体积与神经功能障碍相关（p = 0.016；p < 0.001）；WM 和丘脑病变体积与认知障碍相关（p < 0.001；p = 0.03）。结论丘脑病变与皮质和 WM 中的病变无关，表明它们可能没有共同的致病机制并且不会导致丘脑萎缩。WM、软脑膜下和丘脑病变体积在 7 特斯拉时会影响疾病的严重程度。016; p < 0.001)；WM 和丘脑病变体积与认知障碍相关（p < 0.001；p = 0.03）。结论丘脑病变与皮质和 WM 中的病变无关，表明它们可能没有共同的致病机制并且不会导致丘脑萎缩。WM、软脑膜下和丘脑病变体积在 7 特斯拉时会影响疾病的严重程度。016; p < 0.001)；WM 和丘脑病变体积与认知障碍相关（p < 0.001；p = 0.03）。结论丘脑病变与皮质和 WM 中的病变无关，表明它们可能没有共同的致病机制并且不会导致丘脑萎缩。WM、软脑膜下和丘脑病变体积在 7 特斯拉时会影响疾病的严重程度。