Findings On Brain MRI May Predict Multiple Sclerosis
· Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco report that patients with certain findings on their 
brain MRI appear to be at increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis. According to a recent article published in the journal Neurology, patients with incidental MRI anomalies suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) appear to be at increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis.
· Study author, Dr. Okuda and colleagues obtained clinical and radiological information on 44 patients whom had no symptoms of multiple sclerosis but had brain MRI scans with certain anomalies. These patients had normal neurological examinations.
· The authors report that over time, 24 of 41 patients, or 59%, showed progressive changes on their MRI scans consistent with development of multiple sclerosis. Over a period of about five years, ten patients in the study developed either clinically isolated syndrome or definite multiple sclerosis.
· Although the study is limited by the small number of study subjects, it does provide insight into early detection of multiple sclerosis and may guide a formal process of early diagnosis and treatment options.
Reference
Neurology 2009;72:780-781,800-805.
Posted on March 31, 2009
