Advanced MRI techniques: biomarkers in neuropsychiatric lupus:

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to determine whether advanced MRI could provide biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE).MethodsOur prospective study included 28 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with primary central NPSLE, 22 patients without NPSLE and 20 healthy controls. We used visual scales to evaluate atrophy and white matter hyperintensities, voxel-based morphometry and Freesurfer to measure brain volume, plus diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) to assess white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) damage. We compared the groups and correlated MRI abnormalities with clinical data.ResultsNPSLE patients had less GM and WM than controls (p = 0.042) in the fronto-temporal regions and corpus callosum. They also had increased diffusivities in the temporal lobe WM (p < 0.010) and reduced fractional anisotropy in the right frontal lobe WM (p = 0.018). High clinical scores, longstanding disease, and low serum C3 were associated with atrophy, l...