Choroid plexus enlargement in inflammatory multiple sclerosis: 3.0-T MRI and translocator protein PET evaluation

Background: Choroid plexuses (CPs) have been suggested as a key gateway for inflammation in experimental autoimmune encephalitis, but in vivo evidence of their involvement in multiple sclerosis (MS) is lacking. Purpose: To assess CP volumetric and inflammatory changes in patients with MS versus healthy control participants. Materials and Methods: This was a secondary analysis of 97 patients (61 with relapsing-remitting MS [RRMS] and 36 with progressive MS) and 44 healthy control participants who participated in three prospective 3.0-T brain MRI studies between May 2009 and September 2017. A subgroup of 37 patients and 19 healthy control participants also underwent translocator protein fluorine 18 (18F)-DPA-714 PET for neuroinflammation. Relapses and disability scores were collected at baseline and over 2 years. CPs were manually segmented on three-dimensional T1-weighted images; other brain volumes were additionally segmented. Volumes were expressed as a ratio of intracranial volume. The 18F-DPA-714 distribution volume ratio was quantified in parenchymal regions, whereas standardized uptake value was used for CP inflammation. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to assess CP volumetric and inflammatory differences between patients with MS and healthy control participants and correlations between CP volume and lesion load, brain volumes, 18F-DPA-714 uptake, and annualized relapse rate. Results: Ninety-seven patients with MS (mean age, 42 years ± 12 [standard deviation]; 49 women) and 44 healthy control participants (mean age, 39 years ± 14; 23 women) underwent MRI. Thirty-seven patients with MS and 19 healthy control participants underwent PET. CPs were 35% larger in patients with MS (mean value, 15.9 × 10-4 ± 4.5) than in healthy control participants (mean value, 11.8 × 10-4 ± 3.8; P =.004). Subgroup analysis confirmed greater CP volume in patients with RRMS (mean value, 15.5 × 1-4 ± 4.6; P =.008) than in healthy control participants. CP enlargement was greater in patients with active lesions at MRI (mean volume, 18.2 × 10-4 ± 4.9 in patients with lesions that enhanced with gadolinium vs 14.9 × 10-4 ± 4 in patients with lesions that did not enhance with gadolinium; P <.001) and correlated with white matter lesion load (r = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.55; P <.001) and 18F-DPA-714 binding in the thalami (r = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.72; P =.04) and normal-appearing white matter (r = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.71; P =.005). Moreover, it correlated with annualized relapse rate in patients with RRMS (r = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.1, 0.55; P =.005). Finally, patients with MS showed 18.5% higher CP 18F-DPA-714 uptake than control participants (mean value, 0.778 ± 0.23 vs 0.635 ± 0.15, respectively; P =.01). CP volume in patients with RRMS (r = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.37, 0.73; P =.009) correlated with higher 18F-DPA-714 uptake. Conclusion: Choroid plexuses (CPs) are enlarged and inflamed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly in those with relapsing-remitting MS with inflammatory profiles; CP volumetric analysis could represent an MS imaging marker.