The Role Of Magnetic Resonance Techniques In Understanding And Managing Multiple Sclerosis

Magnetic Resonance (MR) techniques have had a major impact in the last 10-15 years in understanding and managing Multiple Sclerosis.

This review summarizes the current uses of MR in Multiple Sclerosis, based on the proceedings of a recent international workshop, under four headings:

1. Technical issues
2. Role in diagnosis
3. Natural history studies in understanding MS
4. Application in clinical trials

The theory and methodology of relevant technical issues is outlined.

In order to provide a framework with which to understand the potential and limitations of MR in addressing biological and clinical questions in Multiple Sclerosis.

The principles underlying signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratio are discussed, along with the techniques and clinical results for:

1. Conventional T₂-weighted imaging
2. Fast Spin Echo T₂-weighted imaging
3. Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery
4. Detection of Blood-Brain Barrier break down
5. HypoIntense Lesions on T₁-weighted images
6. Magnetization Transfer
7. T₂ decay-curve analysis
8. MR Spectroscopy,
9. Spinal Cord Imaging
10. Diffusion Imaging
11. Quantification of Lesion Load
12. Atrophy

MRI has an extremely valuable role in confirming the clinical diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. T₂-weighted Brain imaging remains the standard diagnostic tool.

But, in some instances it is usefully complemented with Gadolinium enhancement and Spinal imaging.

The caveat that the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis remains primarily a clinical one cannot be over-emphasized.

Serial MRI studies have added much to our understanding of the natural history and PathoPhysiology of the disease.

Blood-Brain Barrier breakdown is a consistent early feature of new lesion development in Relapsing/Remitting and Secondary/Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

And, this usually correlates with active inflammation and Myelin breakdown.

A number of the acute MR changes are reversible, but chronic persistent abnormalities in a number of MR parameters.

Such as reduced N-AcetylAspartate, low Magnetization Transfer Ratios, Atrophy and T₁-HypoIntensity, suggest the presence of DeMyelination and/or Axonal degeneration in many chronic lesions.

The presence and extent of T₂-weighted MRI abnormalities at first presentation with a Clinically Isolated Syndrome suggestive of DeMyelination strongly predicts the risk of developing Clinically Definite Multiple Sclerosis in the next few years.

In established Multiple Sclerosis, however, the correlations between T₂ abnormalities and Disability are modest.

This poor relationship partly relates to the discrepancy between lesion site and function in attempting to correlate locomotor disability with Brain MRI findings.

However, the correlations between Brain Lesion Load and Cognitive Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis, while more evident, are still modest.

A more important limitation is the low pathological specificity of abnormalities seen on T₂-weighted images.

Stronger correlations have been found between disability and new putative MR markers for DeMyelination and/or Axonal degeneration.

Serial studies using multiple MR techniques are now needed to further clarify PathoPhysiology mechanisms in Multiple Sclerosis.

Serial MR has become an important tool in monitoring treatment efficacy. It provides data which can be readily analyzed in a blinded fashion and which directly inspects the pathological evolution.

It also enables a rapid and sensitive measure of treatment outcome in early Relapsing/Remitting and Secondary/Progressive disease.

Because of the modest clinical correlations it is, however, still appropriate that the definitive determinant of treatment efficacy remains a clinical one.

Further work is needed to address issues of quality control in serial studies, statistical calculation of appropriate sample sizes, and optimization of the nature and frequency of MR outcomes measured.