Two clinically feasible myelin water imaging methods (MCR-DIMWI and METRICS) can differentiate patients with a leukodystrophy from controls.

Imaging biomarkers are needed for studying white matter (WM) diseases. Myelin water imaging (MWI) uses multi-compartment relaxometry to estimate myelin content, and is promising for use in leukodystrophies. We applied MCR-DIMWI and METRICS, two novel whole-brain MWI techniques, to a cohort of 9 leukodystrophy patients and 15 controls. Myelin water fractions (MWFs) from both techniques correlated well. In patients, MWF was decreased. For both techniques region-specific MWFs and relaxation metrics could differentiate patients from controls. They are promising for use in the context of leukodystrophies; additional studies are required to further explore potential clinical application.