Eur Radiol: The magnetic resonance T1w/T2w ratio of the foot in the brain may be a sensitive biological indicator of multi-system atrophy!

Objective: This study used myelin-sensitive MRI formants and standardized T1 weighted/T2 weighted (sT1w/T2w) ratios to detect early changes in the mid-brain foot (MCP) in patients with multisyscopic atrophy cerebrocephalus (MSA-C).
: We included 28 MSA-C patients, including 17 MSA-C patients and 28 healthy controls within 2 years of onset (early MSA-C).
T1w and T2w scans using the 3-T MR system.
the sT1w/T2w ratio in MCP using SPM12 by sketching areas of interest in standardized space.
the diagnostic performance of the MSA-C and early MSA-C subsyscies were evaluated by the MCP sT1w/T2w ratio from the matching control.
correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the MCP sT1w/T2w ratio and other clinical parameters, including the international cooperation co-assistance disorder scale (ICARS) score for quantifying cer cerebrocephaly disorders.
results: All MSA-C patients (p-lt;0.001) and 17 early (p-lt;0.001) MSA-C patients had MCPsT1w/T2w ratios significantly lower than those in the control group.
MCP sT1w / T2w ratio has a high sensitivity (96%) and specificity (100%) in distinguishing MSA-C from the control group (under-curve area: 0.99), even in the early MSA-C group (sub-curve area: 0.99) (sensitivity s 94%) and specificity s 100%).
in the early MSA-C group, the MCP sT1w/T2w ratio was associated with the ICARS score.
: The sT1w/T2w ratio can even detect MSA-C-related changes in MCP early in the disease and may be a sensitive biomarker for the detection and diagnosis of MSA-C.