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Meijboom R, Wiseman SJ, York EN, Bastin ME, Valdés Hernández MDC, Thrippleton MJ, Mollison D, White N, Kampaite A, Ng Kee Kwong K, Rodriguez Gonzalez D, Job D, Weaver C, Kearns PKA, Connick P, Chandran S, Waldman AD. Rationale and design of the brain magnetic resonance imaging protocol for FutureMS: a longitudinal multi-centre study of newly diagnosed patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in Scotland. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 7:94. [PMID: 36865371 PMCID: PMC9971644 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17731.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease. MS prevalence varies geographically and is notably high in Scotland. Disease trajectory varies significantly between individuals and the causes for this are largely unclear. Biomarkers predictive of disease course are urgently needed to allow improved stratification for current disease modifying therapies and future targeted treatments aimed at neuroprotection and remyelination. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect disease activity and underlying damage non-invasively in vivo at the micro and macrostructural level. FutureMS is a prospective Scottish longitudinal multi-centre cohort study, which focuses on deeply phenotyping patients with recently diagnosed relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). Neuroimaging is a central component of the study and provides two main primary endpoints for disease activity and neurodegeneration. This paper provides an overview of MRI data acquisition, management and processing in FutureMS. FutureMS is registered with the Integrated Research Application System (IRAS, UK) under reference number 169955. Methods and analysis: MRI is performed at baseline (N=431) and 1-year follow-up, in Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh (3T Siemens) and in Aberdeen (3T Philips), and managed and processed in Edinburgh. The core structural MRI protocol comprises T1-weighted, T2-weighted, FLAIR and proton density images. Primary imaging outcome measures are new/enlarging white matter lesions (WML) and reduction in brain volume over one year. Secondary imaging outcome measures comprise WML volume as an additional quantitative structural MRI measure, rim lesions on susceptibility-weighted imaging, and microstructural MRI measures, including diffusion tensor imaging and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging metrics, relaxometry, magnetisation transfer (MT) ratio, MT saturation and derived g-ratio measures. Conclusions: FutureMS aims to reduce uncertainty around disease course and allow for targeted treatment in RRMS by exploring the role of conventional and advanced MRI measures as biomarkers of disease severity and progression in a large population of RRMS patients in Scotland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozanna Meijboom
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stewart J. Wiseman
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Elizabeth N. York
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mark E. Bastin
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Maria del C. Valdés Hernández
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Michael J. Thrippleton
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Daisy Mollison
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Nicole White
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Agniete Kampaite
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Koy Ng Kee Kwong
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David Rodriguez Gonzalez
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Dominic Job
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christine Weaver
- Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Patrick K. A. Kearns
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Peter Connick
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Siddharthan Chandran
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Adam D. Waldman
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Edinburgh Imaging, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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