An Imaging Biomarker for Multiple Sclerosis

In patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), some chronic active white matter lesions leave a persistent dark rim of inflammation after acute inflammation subsides. These paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) are identifiable by MRI and are thought to represent macrophage infiltration and microglia activation.

To determine the potential role for PRLs in the differential diagnosis of MS, investigators conducted an international, cross-sectional study of 412 neurology patients, of whom 329 had MS and 83 had other neurological conditions. The researchers performed MRI brain scans on patients using three Tesla MRI scanners at five centers and reported the specificity of PRL alone or in combination with the central vein sign marker in diagnosing MS versus…