Quantitative in vivo magnetic resonance imaging of multiple sclerosis at 7 Tesla with sensitivity to iron

The increased field in the basal ganglia and correlation with disease duration suggest pathological iron content increases in MS. The peripheral phase rings are consistent with histological data demonstrating iron-rich macrophages at the periphery of a subset of lesions. The clearly defined vessels penetrating MS lesions should increase our ability to detect focal vascular abnormalities specifically related to demyelinating processes.