Texture analysis of magnetization transfer maps from patients with clinically isolated syndrome and multiple sclerosis

Purpose

To investigate the behavior of texture parameters derived from the gray level co‐occurrence matrix from gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) (with lesions removed) segments of magnetization transfer ratio maps from controls and patients.

Materials and Methods

Magnetization transfer ratio maps from 23 controls and patients with either a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) (38 patients) or clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) (35) were scanned and texture parameters extracted. The texture parameters were compared between the groups and correlated with clinical measures of disability in the MS patients to investigate any association with disease severity.

Results

No significant differences were found between the texture parameters from controls and CIS patients; however, several parameters differ between MS patients and the two other groups, particularly in the GM, but also in the WM. The expanded disability status score and timed walk test correlate with GM texture measures, while the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test 3 score, a cognitive measure, correlates with WM texture. Texture abnormalities were seen in MS WM and GM, indicating tissue damage beyond classical WM lesions, the abnormalities being more evident in GM.

Conclusion

The findings highlight potential for texture analysis measures in classifying central nervous system demyelinating diseases that warrants further investigation. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;30:506–513. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.