The following is a summary of “T1 hypointense brain lesions in NMOSD and its relevance with disability: a single institution cross-sectional study,” published in the February 2024 issue of Neurology by Hashemi et al.
Despite T1 hypointense lesions potentially indicating tissue damage in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD), their clinical significance remains unclear due to limited research.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study investigating the link between T1 hypointense brain lesions and clinical disability in NMOSD patients.
They recruited 83 patients diagnosed with NMOSD. They gathered Aquaporin-4 measurements. They obtained data from the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and MRI scans. T1 hypointense and T2/FLAIR hyperintense lesions were examined, and the correlation between MRI findings, AQP-4, and EDSS was also evaluated.
The results showed 22 patients with T1 hypointense brain lesions. The mean EDSS was 3.7 ± 1.5, significantly higher in patients with these lesions (P-value = 0.01). Patients with more than four T1 lesions had EDSS scores ≥ 4. T2/FLAIR hyperintense lesions correlated with EDSS (3.6 ± 1.6 vs 2.3 ± 1.7; P-value = 0.01). EDSS was identical with and without positive AQP-4 (2.7 ± 1.6 vs 3.2 ± 1.7; P-value = 0.17). Positive AQP-4 was not prevalent in patients with T1 lesions (50.9 vs 45.4%; P-value = 0.8).
Investigators concluded a link between the presence of brain T1-hypointense lesions and higher disability levels in NMOSD patients.
Source: bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-024-03550-1
