Is multicomponent T2 a good measure of myelin content in peripheral nerve?

Abstract

Multicomponent T2 relaxation of normal and injured rat sciatic nerve was measured. The T2 relaxation was multiexponential, indicating the multicompartmental nature of T2 decay in nerve tissue. The size of the short, observed T2 component correlated very well with quantitative assessment of myelin using computer-assisted histopathological image analysis of myelin. Specifically, the size of the short T2 component reflected the processes of myelin loss and remyelination accompanying Wallerian degeneration and regeneration following trauma. However, it represented all myelin present in the sample and did not distinguish between intact myelin and myelin debris. Other changes in T2 spectra were also observed and could be correlated with axonal loss and inflammation. The study also questions the validity of previously offered interpretations of T2 spectra of nerve. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.