Brain and Spinal Cord MRI in Multiple Sclerosis: an Update
AbstractMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and has been incorporated into the McDonald diagnostic criteria for MS. In particular, for the exclusion of important differential diagnosis and comorbidities, new MRI markers have been established such as the “central vein sign”. In addition to diagnostic purposes, the role of MRI in MS monitoring is becoming increasingly important, particularly for pharmacovigilance. This includes treatment efficacy monitoring, prediction of treatment response and safety monitoring. Quantitative MRI methods and ultra-high-field MRI offer the opportunity for the quantitative assessment of damage in normal-appearing brain tissue. However, the standardization of these techniques with the goal of implementation in clinical routine will be one of the major challenges in the near future.