Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute and University Hospital San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
Curr Opin Neurol. 2010 Jun;23(3):212-7. doi: 10.1097/WCO.0b013e32833787b0.
This review summarizes novel MRI approaches for the investigation of lesion burden and understanding of the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Recent technical advances are improving our ability to detect and define the nature of focal lesions and 'diffuse' tissue damage in MS as well as the functional consequences of such structural abnormalities. New contrast agents allow to monitor the pluriformity of MS inflammation. Double inversion recovery sequences enable us to detect and monitor the evolution of MS lesions in the cortex. High and ultra-high field scanners are improving imaging of MS-related abnormalities at an unprecedented resolution. Furthermore, this new generation of scanners has the potential to ameliorate structural and functional MR studies of the disease. All of this has contributed, and is likely to continue to contribute, to the definition of the factors associated with the development of irreversible disability in MS. Finally, new analysis methods have allowed to track regional disease-related changes and are resulting in an increased correlation between MRI and clinical deficits.
Novel MR approaches highlighted previously unrecognized or neglected aspects of MS pathophysiology, which are likely to improve our understanding of the heterogeneous clinical manifestations of this condition.
本文综述了新型 MRI 方法在多发性硬化（MS）病灶负担研究和病理生理学理解方面的应用。
最近的技术进步提高了我们检测和定义 MS 中局灶性病变和“弥漫性”组织损伤以及这些结构异常的功能后果的能力。新型对比剂可用于监测 MS 炎症的多态性。双反转恢复序列使我们能够检测和监测皮质 MS 病变的演变。高场和超高场扫描仪以前所未有的分辨率改善了与 MS 相关异常的成像。此外，新一代扫描仪有可能改善疾病的结构和功能磁共振研究。所有这些都有助于（并可能继续有助于）确定与 MS 不可逆残疾发展相关的因素。最后，新的分析方法能够追踪与疾病相关的区域性变化，并导致 MRI 与临床缺陷之间的相关性增加。
新型 MRI 方法强调了 MS 病理生理学以前未被认识或忽视的方面，这可能有助于我们更好地理解这种疾病的异质性临床表现。
