Distinct influence of different vascular risk factors on white matter brain lesions in multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To determine if vascular risk factor (VRF), that is, smoking, arterial hypertension (HT), dyslipidaemia and diabetes, have an effect on multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology as measured by MS typical brain lesions, we have compared brain MRIs from patients with MS with and without VRF age-matched and sex-matched.

Methods: Brain MRIs from five centres were scored for the presence of Dawson's fingers (DF) and juxtacortical lesions (JCL). A regression model was built to predict the effect of each individual VRF on DF and JCL, considering age and disease duration.

Cumulative Dose of Macrocyclic Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent Improves Detection of Enhancing Lesions in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging is currently the reference standard for detecting active inflammatory lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis. The sensitivity of MR imaging for this purpose may vary according to the physicochemical characteristics of the contrast agent used and the acquisition strategy. The purpose of this study was to compare detection of gadolinium-enhancing lesions or active disease following a single or cumulative dose of a macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent with different image acquisition delays in patients with clinically isolated syndrome or relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Brain atrophy 15 years after CIS: Baseline and follow-up clinico-radiological correlations.

Background: Brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is present since the very early stages of the disease and it has been related to long-term disability.

Objective: To estimate brain volume (BV) at 15 years after a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and to evaluate its relationship with disease outcomes.

Methods: From a prospective cohort including patients presenting with a CIS, 54 patients with a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed 15 years after CIS were included.

Spinal cord lesions: A modest contributor to diagnosis in clinically isolated syndromes but a relevant prognostic factor.

Background: The usefulness of performing a spinal cord (SC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in all clinically isolated syndromes (CIS) is controversial.

Objective: To assess the value of SC lesions for predicting multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and disability accrual in CIS.

Methods: Concerning SC lesions and MS diagnosis (2010 McDonald), adjusted Cox regression analyses were performed in increasingly specific CIS groups: all cases ( n = 207), non-SC CIS ( n = 143), non-SC CIS with abnormal brain MRI ( n = 90) and non-SC CIS with abnormal brain MRI not fulfilling 2010 MS ( n = 67).

Comparison between gadolinium-enhanced 2D T1-weighted gradient-echo and spin-echo sequences in the detection of active multiple sclerosis lesions on 3.0T MRI.

Objectives: To compare the sensitivity of enhancing multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions in gadolinium-enhanced 2D T1-weighted gradient-echo (GRE) and spin-echo (SE) sequences, and to assess the influence of visual conspicuity and laterality on detection of these lesions.

Methods: One hundred MS patients underwent 3.0T brain MRI including gadolinium-enhanced 2D T1-weighted GRE and SE sequences.