Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
J Neuroimaging. 2021 May;31(3):480-492. doi: 10.1111/jon.12868. Epub 2021 Apr 30.
To describe MRI findings in Japanese macaque encephalomyelitis (JME) with emphasis on lesion characteristics, lesion evolution, normal-appearing brain tissue, and similarities to human demyelinating disease.
MRI data were obtained from 114 Japanese macaques, 30 presenting neurological signs of JME. All animals were screened for presence of T -weighted white matter signal hyperintensities; animals with behavioral signs of JME were additionally screened for contrast-enhancing lesions. Whole-brain quantitative T maps were collected, and histogram analysis was performed with regression across age to evaluate microstructural changes in normal appearing brain tissue in JME and neurologically normal animals. Quantitative estimates of blood-brain-barrier (BBB) permeability to gadolinium-based-contrast agent (GBCA) were obtained in acute, GBCA-enhancing lesions. Longitudinal imaging data were acquired for 15 JME animals.
One hundred and seventy-three focal GBCA-enhancing lesions were identified in 30 animals demonstrating behavioral signs of neurological dysfunction. JME GBCA-enhancing lesions were typically focal and ovoid, demonstrating highest BBB GBCA permeability in the lesion core, similar to acute, focal multiple sclerosis lesions. New GBCA-enhancing lesions arose rapidly from normal-appearing tissue, and BBB permeability remained elevated for weeks. T values in normal-appearing tissue were significantly associated with age, but not with sex or disease.
Intense, focal neuroinflammation is a key MRI finding in JME. Several features of JME compare directly to human inflammatory demyelinating diseases. Investigation of JME combined with the development and validation of noninvasive imaging biomarkers offers substantial potential to improve diagnostic specificity and contribute to the understanding of human demyelinating diseases.
描述日本猕猴脑炎（JME）的 MRI 表现，重点介绍病变特征、病变演变、正常脑组织以及与人类脱髓鞘疾病的相似性。
从 114 只日本猕猴中获得 MRI 数据，其中 30 只表现出 JME 的神经症状。所有动物均进行 T1 加权白质信号高信号筛查；出现 JME 神经症状的动物还进行对比增强病变筛查。采集全脑定量 T 图，并进行回归分析以评估 JME 和神经正常动物正常脑组织的微观结构变化。在急性、GBCA 增强病变中获得血脑屏障（BBB）对钆基造影剂（GBCA）通透性的定量估计。对 15 只 JME 动物进行纵向成像数据采集。
在 30 只出现神经功能障碍行为症状的动物中，共发现 173 个局灶性 GBCA 增强病变。JME 的 GBCA 增强病变通常为局灶性和卵圆形，病变核心处 BBB GBCA 通透性最高，与急性、局灶性多发性硬化病变相似。新的 GBCA 增强病变迅速从正常脑组织中出现，BBB 通透性在数周内持续升高。正常脑组织的 T 值与年龄显著相关，但与性别或疾病无关。
强烈的局灶性神经炎症是 JME 的一个关键 MRI 发现。JME 的几个特征与人类炎症性脱髓鞘疾病直接比较。JME 的研究结合非侵入性成像生物标志物的开发和验证，为提高诊断特异性和对人类脱髓鞘疾病的理解提供了巨大潜力。
