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Relevance of callosal and periventricular MRI lesions to oligoclonal bands in multiple sclerosis.

Nakashima I, Fujihara K, Miyazawa H, Misu T, Fujimori J, Sato S, Itoyama Y

Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Seiryo-machi, Sendai, Japan. inakashima@em.neurol.med.tohoku.ac.jp

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between callosal or periventricular lesions, and the presence of oligoclonal IgG bands (OB) or the IgG index in Japanese patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was studied in 34 Japanese clinically definite MS cases. Sagittal 2-mm fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) imaging was added to the routine MRI studies. RESULTS: Among the 34 patients, 20 (59%) were OB positive. Among the 20 patients with OB-positive MS, 17 (85%) had callosal lesions, although only two (14%) of 14 OB-negative MS patients had callosal lesions. The periventricular lesion area was significantly larger in the OB-positive patients compared with the OB-negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: The present study clearly demonstrated a strong association between the periventricular lesions and OB in Japanese MS. Certain OB-related immune mechanisms may contribute to the development of callosal and periventricular lesions in MS. OB may be an important factor to understand the pathomechanisms of MS lesions.

Published 17 January 2006 in Acta Neurol Scand, 113(2): 125-31.
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