ROC curves of the mean diffusion (MD), axial (λa) and radial (λr) diffusivities, NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr ratios in RR (A), SP (B), PP (C) and all-MS patient groups (D).

<p>ROC curves of the mean diffusion (MD), axial (λa) and radial (λr) diffusivities, NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr ratios in RR (A), SP (B), PP (C) and all-MS patient groups (D).</p

Correlations between radial diffusivity (λr) and NAA/Cr ratio with the ROI T2-LL in RR, PP and all-MS patient groups. (NS = Not significant).

<p>Correlations between radial diffusivity (λr) and NAA/Cr ratio with the ROI T2-LL in RR, PP and all-MS patient groups. (NS = Not significant).</p

Areas under ROC curves analysis of DTI and MRSI derived measures in different groups of MS patients.

<p>Statistical significance (*p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001) when comparing areas under ROC curves (AUC) of the following MR metrics: MD: mean diffusivity, λr: radial diffusivity, NAA: N-acetylaspartate, Cr: creatine, RR: relapsing remitting; SP: secondary progressive; PP: primary progressive.</p

Demographics and group characteristics.

<p>Values are expressed as mean (Standard deviation).</p><p>RR: relapsing remitting; SP: secondary progressive; PP: primary progressive; EDSS: expanded disability status scale; ROI T2-LL: T2-lesion load corresponding to the lesion volume measured within the region of interest (ROI); Brain T2-LL: T2-lesion load corresponding to the lesion volume measured in the whole brain.</p

Correlation rates (r) between diffusion and metabolic measures and the ROI T2-LL in different groups of MS patients.

<p>Correlation significance (*p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001).</p><p>ROI T2-LL: T2-lesion load corresponding to the lesion volume within the region of interest, MD: mean diffusion, FA: fraction of anisotropy, λa: axial diffusivity, λr: radial diffusivity, NAA: N-acetylaspartate, Cr: creatine, RR: relapsing remitting; SP: secondary progressive; PP: primary progressive.</p

Diffusion and metabolic measures in MS patients and control subjects groups.

<p>Values (Mean ± SD) of mean diffusion (MD), fraction of anisotropy (FA), axial (λa) and radial (λr) diffusivities, N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and creatine (Cr) (*p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001 when compared to controls). RR: relapsing remitting; SP: secondary progressive; PP: primary progressive.</p

Administrative departments in France (coding number) ranked by latitude.

<p>Yellow: <b>Northeast region (NE) Lorraine</b>: Moselle (57); Meuse (55); Meurthe-et-Moselle (54); Vosges (88) Pink: <b>Northwest region (NW) Bretagne</b>: Côtes-d’Armor (22); Finistère (29); Ille-et-Vilaine (35); Morbihan (56) Green<b>: Center region (C) Auvergne</b>: Allier (03); Haute-Loire (43); Puy-de-Dôme (63); Cantal (15) Blue<b>: Southeast region (SE) Rhône-Alpes</b>: Rhône (69) Orange<b>: Southwest region (SW) Midi-Pyrénées</b>: Lot (46); Aveyron (12); Tarn-et-Garonne (82); Tarn (81); Gers (32); Haute-Garonne (31); Hautes-Pyrénées (65); Ariège (09).</p

Number of multiple sclerosis (MS) cases obtained from each data source for the year 2004.

<p>Number of multiple sclerosis (MS) cases obtained from each data source for the year 2004.</p

Relative risk using the department with the highest shares of overlap, Haute-Garonne^a.

<p>Relative risk using the department with the highest shares of overlap, Haute-Garonne<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0167556#t005fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Estimation of age- and sex-standardized MS prevalence ^a per 100,000 inhabitants in European and world populations.

<p>Estimation of age- and sex-standardized MS prevalence ^a per 100,000 inhabitants in European and world populations.</p