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Related Experiment Videos

Spinal-cord MRI in multiple sclerosis.

Geert Lycklama1, Alan Thompson, Massimo Filippi

  • 1MS-MRI Centre, VU Medical Centre, Department of Radiology, Amsterdam, Netherlands. g.lycklama@vumc.nl

The Lancet. Neurology
|August 28, 2003
PubMed
Summary
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spinal cord aids in diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS). While MRI detects spinal cord lesions, its correlation with disability is weak, though it

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Radiology
  • Neuroimaging

Background:

  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis relies heavily on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
  • Spinal cord MRI is increasingly recognized for its diagnostic potential in MS.
  • Current understanding of MRI findings and their correlation with clinical disability in MS is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the diagnostic utility of spinal cord MRI in patients with suspected or confirmed Multiple Sclerosis.
  • To correlate MRI findings with histopathological evidence and clinical disability in MS.
  • To assess the role of spinal cord imaging in differentiating MS from other neurological disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized dual echo spin echo MRI sequences for enhanced detection of spinal cord abnormalities.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Correlated MRI findings (focal lesions, diffuse signal intensity changes, atrophy) with clinical disability assessments.
  • Compared MRI findings with histopathological studies examining axonal loss in MS spinal cords.

    • Main Results:

    • Dual echo spin echo MRI is highly sensitive for detecting spinal cord lesions in MS, including focal and diffuse abnormalities.
    • A weak correlation exists between MRI findings and clinical disability in MS patients.
    • Histopathological studies reveal significant axonal loss in MS spinal cords, irrespective of visible focal lesions on MRI.
    • Spinal cord atrophy is observed in advanced MS, potentially indicating axonal loss.

    Conclusions:

    • Spinal cord MRI is a valuable diagnostic tool for Multiple Sclerosis, particularly in cases with equivocal brain findings.
    • The presence of asymptomatic spinal cord lesions can support an MS diagnosis when brain lesions are minimal.
    • A normal spinal cord MRI can help exclude MS in patients with non-specific neurological symptoms or alternative diagnoses.