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Purpose: To demonstrate direct imaging of the white matter ultrashort T 2 ∗ components at 7 Tesla using inversion recovery (IR)-enhanced ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI. To investigate its characteristics, potentials and limitations, and to establish a clinical protocol., Material and Methods: The IR UTE technique suppresses long T 2 ∗ signals within white matter by using adiabatic inversion in combination with dual-echo difference imaging. Artifacts arising at 7 T from long T 2 ∗ scalp fat components were reduced by frequency shifting the IR pulse such that those frequencies were inverted likewise. For 8 healthy volunteers, the T 2 ∗ relaxation times of white matter were then quantified. In 20 healthy volunteers, the UTE difference and fraction contrast were evaluated. Finally, in 6 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), the performance of the technique was assessed., Results: A frequency shift of -1.2 ppm of the IR pulse (i.e. towards the fat frequency) provided a good suppression of artifacts. With this, an ultrashort compartment of (68 ± 6) % with a T 2 ∗ time of (147 ± 58) μs was quantified with a chemical shift of (-3.6 ± 0.5) ppm from water. Within healthy volunteers' white matter, a stable ultrashort T 2 ∗ fraction contrast was calculated. For the MS patients, a significant fraction reduction in the identified lesions as well as in the normal-appearing white matter was observed., Conclusions: The quantification results indicate that the observed ultrashort components arise primarily from myelin tissue. Direct IR UTE imaging of the white matter ultrashort T 2 ∗ components is thus feasible at 7 T with high quantitative inter-subject repeatability and good detection of signal loss in MS., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pivotal trials showed good clinical efficiency of the monoclonal antibody ocrelizumab while being well tolerated and manageable in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, data on adverse events in everyday practice are scarce. Hence, our study aims at investigating short-term tolerability of ocrelizumab in a "real-world" setting., Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data of 128 (86 relapsing-remitting, 42 progressive) MS patients at initiation of ocrelizumab were analyzed at the MS center of the University of Erlangen, Germany. Additionally, follow-up data of 68 patients at 6-months retreatment were analyzed. Structured phone interviews were applied after ocrelizumab initiation to report undocumented side effects., Results: Patients predominantly switched from monoclonal antibodies (46%), orals (20%), injectables (10%), steroids or immunosuppressants (each 8%), with a mean interval of 9.0 months after the last application of the previous immunotherapy. Applying a combined premedication with steroids, antihistamines and antipyretics for >90% of patients, ocrelizumab treatment was well tolerated and mainly comprised mild (n = 59/128 at initiation, n = 5/68 at 6 months retreatment) and rarely moderate (n = 7/128 at initiation, n = 2/68 at 6 months) side effects. Predominantly mild infusion related reactions (IRR) were reported with a declining percentage over the follow-up applications. Infections occurred rarely. No severe side effects were observed. Secondary, treatment appeared efficient when looking at clinical surrogates of stable disease., Discussion: Our study delineates good short-term tolerability of ocrelizumab in a miscellaneous "real-world" MS cohort. Additional studies are warranted to confirm these beneficial findings and to reveal safety concerns in the longer-term follow-up., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the CNS typically show a limited lesion size. However, extended lesions may appear with an atypical configuration. Large lesions with a diameter>2cm accompanied by tumor-like edema are entitled "tumefactive" and may occur in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating diseases. Historically, differential diagnosis often requires histological analysis. Therefore, advanced imaging techniques are warranted to allow for a precise non-invasive diagnosis. Cerebral sodium ( 23 Na) MRI was recently described as a new method to investigate in vivo sodium accumulation. Indicating extended sodium levels in MS lesions, 23 Na MRI is a promising differential diagnostic tool further elucidating the role of sodium in demyelinating lesions., Methods: Repetitive 23 Na MRI measurements in a MS patient with a tumefactive demyelinating lesion providing insight into the medium-term course of cerebral sodium levels., Results and Conclusion: 23 Na MRI depicts persistent lesional sodium accumulation after anti-inflammatory treatment and provides the opportunity of a non-invasive, in vivo analysis of sodium levels in inflammatory CNS lesions without need for contrast enhancing media. As a result of the extended dimension, tumefactive lesions may have an appropriate size for the analysis of inflammatory demyelination by 23 Na MRI with sufficient resolution., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the CNS typically affecting younger adults and resulting in neuro-axonal degeneration already at early stages of the disease. Less is known about the effects of a later disease onset (LOMS, onset >50years of age). Analysis of retinal layers by optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive method to investigate retinal and neuro-axonal degeneration. We applied OCT to detect differences in retinal damage depending on a later disease manifestation., Methods: 14 LOMS patients, 14 age- and 14 disease duration-matched normal onset (NOMS) patients with a relapsing remitting disease course and 15 healthy controls (HC) were included. OCT measurement of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), total macular volume (TMV), combined ganglion cell/inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), inner nuclear layer (INL) and outer retinal layers (ORL) was conducted. Furthermore, analysis of clinical features and of effects of previous optic neuritis (ON) was performed RESULTS: In a GEE based analysis of age- and disease duration matched NOMS, LOMS patients show no significant differences in retinal layer thickness whereas ON significantly reduced thickness of retinal layers. All MS groups display lower retinal layer thickness as compared to HC independently of type of onset., Discussion: Our LOMS findings are well in line with published OCT data of normal onset MS. As the degree of retinal layer thinning was similar in MS subgroups, retinal neurodegeneration in MS may occur independently of time of disease onset., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)