Impact of 3 Tesla MRI on interobserver agreement in clinically isolated syndrome: A MAGNIMS multicentre study. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hagens, Marloes HJ; Burggraaff, Jessica; Kilsdonk, Iris D; Ruggieri, Serena; Collorone, Sara; Cortese, Rosa; Cawley, Niamh; Sbardella, Emilia; Andelova, Michaela; Amann, Michael; Lieb, Johanna M; Pantano, Patrizia; Lissenberg-Witte, Birgit I; Killestein, Joep; Oreja-Guevara, Celia; Wuerfel, Jens; Ciccarelli, Olga; Gasperini, Claudio; Lukas, Carsten; Rovira, Alex; Barkhof, Frederik; Wattjes, Mike P
• Is Part Of: Multiple sclerosis. Volume 25:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 352
• Page End: 360
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Multiple sclerosis -- clinically isolated syndrome -- magnetic resonance imaging -- interobserver variation -- multicentre study; Central nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Myelin sheath -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Inflammation -- Periodicals; Multiple sclerosis -- Periodicals; Central Nervous System Diseases -- Periodicals; Demyelinating Diseases -- Periodicals; Inflammation -- Periodicals; Multiple Sclerosis -- Periodicals; Système nerveux central -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Gaine de myéline -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Inflammation (Pathologie) -- Périodiques; Sclérose en plaques -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.834005
• DOI: 10.1177/1352458517751647
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1352-4585

Abstract

Background: Compared to 1.5 T, 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) increases signal-to-noise ratio leading to improved image quality. However, its clinical relevance in clinically isolated syndrome suggestive of multiple sclerosis remains uncertain. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate how 3 T MRI affects the agreement between raters on lesion detection and diagnosis. Methods: We selected 30 patients and 10 healthy controls from our ongoing prospective multicentre cohort. All subjects received baseline 1.5 and 3 T brain and spinal cord MRI. Patients also received follow-up brain MRI at 3–6 months. Four experienced neuroradiologists and four less-experienced raters scored the number of lesions per anatomical region and determined dissemination in space and time (McDonald 2010). Results: In controls, the mean number of lesions per rater was 0.16 at 1.5 T and 0.38 at 3 T ( p = 0.005). For patients, this was 4.18 and 4.40, respectively ( p = 0.657). Inter-rater agreement on involvement per anatomical region and dissemination in space and time was moderate to good for both field strengths. 3 T slightly improved agreement between experienced raters, but slightly decreased agreement between less-experienced raters. Conclusion: Overall, the interobserver agreement was moderate to good. 3 T appears to improve the reading for experienced readers, underlining the benefit of additional training.