Periventricular plaques in multiple sclerosis: irreversible? An MRI follow-up study.

Follow-up MRIs over a period of 2-3 years in 50 patients with multiple sclerosis demonstrate that, in contrast to the circumscribed nonperiventricular lesions of the cerebral white matter, the periventricular plaques only show a remission in exceptional cases as ovoid lesions adjacent to the pars centralis of the lateral ventricles. 90% of the patients exhibited at least one new or enlarged nonperiventricular lesion. 72% had more pronounced periventricular lesions in the second scan. With the help of serial MRIs, inferences can be drawn about the histopathological stage of individual demyelination plaques.