Dentate-nucleus gadolinium deposition on magnetic resonance imaging: ultrasonographic and clinical correlates in multiple sclerosis patients

Objective The objective of this study is to find out whether gadolinium accumulation in the dentate nucleus (DN) after repeated gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) administration in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is related to tissue alteration detectable on transcranial ultrasound. Methods In this case-control study, 34 patients (17 with, and 17 age-, sex-, MS severity-, and duration-matched participants without visually rated DN T1-hyperintensity) who had received 2-28 (mean, 11 +/- 7) consecutive 1.5-Tesla MRI examinations with application of linear GBCA were included. Real-time MRI-ultrasound fusion imaging was applied, exactly superimposing the DN identified on MRI to calculate its corresponding echo-intensity on digitized ultrasound image analysis. In addition, cerebellar ataxia and cognitive performance were assessed. Correlation analyses were adjusted for age, MS duration, MS severity, and time between MRI scans. Results DN-to-pons T1-signal intensity-ratios (DPSIR) were larger in patients with visually rated DN T1-hyperintensity compared to those without (1.16 +/- 0.10 vs 1.09 +/- 0.06; p = 0.01). In the combined group, DPSIR correlated with the cumulative linear-GBCA dose (r = 0.49, p = 0.003), as did the DPSIR change on last versus first MRI (r = 0.59, p = 0.003). Neither DPSIR nor globus pallidus internus-to-thalamus T1-signal intensity-ratios were related to echo-intensity of corresponding ROI's. DPSIR correlated with the dysarthria (r = 0.57, p = 0.001), but no other, subscore of the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale, and no other clinical score. Conclusions DN gadolinium accumulation is not associated with trace metal accumulation, calcification, or other tissue alteration detectable on ultrasound. A possible mild effect of DN gadolinium accumulation on cerebellar speech function in MS patients, suggested by present data, needs to be validated in larger study samples.

Automated summary

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between gadolinium accumulation in the dentate nucleus of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients after repeated administration of gadolinium-based contrast agents and tissue alterations detectable on ultrasound. Results showed that gadolinium accumulation in the dentate nucleus was associated with cerebellar speech function, but not with trace metal accumulation or other tissue alterations detectable on ultrasound. Further research in larger study samples is needed to validate these findings.