Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the value of T2 mapping MRI in evaluating immunosuppression therapy of thyroid associated  ophthalmopathy (TAO). Design Prospective case series. Participants 74 TAO patients with immunosuppression therapy. Method Coronal T2 mapping MRI was performed. According to the changes of main symptoms, sign and extraocular muscles (EOMs) function, the outcomes of immunosuppression therapy were divided into effectiveness and non-effectiveness. Effectiveness included excellent, well and general cases. Non-effectiveness included unchanged and deterioration cases. Main Outcome Measures T2 values of EOMs and the maxT2 changes. Results The treatment effect was excellent, well, general, unchanged and deteriorated in 18, 13, 11, 30 and 2 cases respectively. The maxT2 was significantly higher in effective group than in non-effective group (P<0.001). MaxT2 value decreased significantly after treatment (P<0.001). Correlation analysis revealed negative correlation between maxT2 and changes of maxT2 after therapy (r=0.643, P＜0.0001). Conclusions T2 mapping MRI is valuable in evaluation of TAO immunosuppression therapy effect. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2018, 27: 339-343)

Key words: thyroid associated ophthalmopathy, T2 mapping magnetic resonance imaging, immunosuppression therapy