Correlations between changes in disability and T2-weighted brain MRI activity in multiple sclerosis: a follow-up...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurology
• Radiology

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system.
• Assessing disease activity and progression in MS is crucial for treatment efficacy.
• Conventional MRI techniques are vital for monitoring MS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of T2-weighted brain MRI in tracking disease activity in multiple sclerosis.
• To determine the correlation between MRI-detected lesions and clinical disability progression.

Main Methods:

• Two conventional unenhanced T2-weighted brain MRI scans were acquired in 281 MS patients over 24–36 months.
• Clinical disability was assessed using the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) at each scan.
• Statistical analysis, including Spearman's rank correlation, was used to assess relationships.

Main Results:

• A weak but significant correlation was found between changes in clinical disability and the number of new MRI lesions (r=0.13, p=0.02).
• A significant correlation was also observed between disability changes and enlarging MRI lesions (r=0.18, p=0.002).

Conclusions:

• T2-weighted brain MRI is a valuable supplementary tool for monitoring disease activity in MS.
• MRI lesion changes correlate with clinical disability, supporting its use in Phase III clinical trials for MS treatments.