Neuroimaging Techniques to Assess Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Radiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease causing significant disability in young adults.
• MS involves inflammation and degeneration of both white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM).
• Accurate inflammation assessment is crucial for MS therapy selection and treatment monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review neuroimaging techniques for detecting and characterizing neuroinflammation in Multiple Sclerosis.
• To explore biophysical quantities detectable by non-invasive imaging methods.
• To understand the role of diffuse inflammation and microglial activation in MS.

Main Methods:

• Review of current and emerging neuroimaging techniques.
• Focus on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for detecting gadolinium-enhancing lesions.
• Exploration of advanced imaging methods for diffuse inflammation.

Main Results:

• Focal gadolinium-enhancing lesions on MRI indicate early inflammation and BBB breakdown.
• Widespread neuroinflammation, including microglial activation, occurs beyond focal lesions.
• New imaging techniques offer insights into diffuse inflammation in MS.

Conclusions:

• MRI is essential for monitoring focal MS lesions and treatment response.
• Understanding diffuse inflammation is key to fully characterizing MS pathophysiology.
• Advanced neuroimaging holds promise for comprehensive MS assessment and research.