TY - JOUR
T1 - Defining the response to multiple sclerosis treatment
T2 - The role of conventional magnetic resonance imaging
AU - Rovaris, Marco
AU - Filippi, M.
PY - 2005/12
Y1 - 2005/12
N2 - During the last two decades, conventional MRI (cMRI) has been extensively used in the diagnostic workup of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, to monitor the natural history of the disease and to evaluate the efficacy of experimental treatments in randomised, controlled clinical trials. In the latter context, a major issue is represented by the high intra- and inter-individual heterogeneity of the MS patterns of disease activity and evolution. Such heterogeneity might explain, at least partially, the weak correlations found between clinical and cMRI aspects in patients with established MS, which is particularly evident when individual patients are considered. As a consequence, the definition of response to MS treatment, when based upon cMRI aspects, is still a challenging task. Although the use of cMRI-derived quantities as a standalone approach to define treatment options and strategies at an individual patient level should be discouraged, an evidence-based integration of clinical and cMRI data might be helpful in selected cases for an optimal work-up of patients undergoing immunomodulating or immunosuppressive treatments.
AB - During the last two decades, conventional MRI (cMRI) has been extensively used in the diagnostic workup of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, to monitor the natural history of the disease and to evaluate the efficacy of experimental treatments in randomised, controlled clinical trials. In the latter context, a major issue is represented by the high intra- and inter-individual heterogeneity of the MS patterns of disease activity and evolution. Such heterogeneity might explain, at least partially, the weak correlations found between clinical and cMRI aspects in patients with established MS, which is particularly evident when individual patients are considered. As a consequence, the definition of response to MS treatment, when based upon cMRI aspects, is still a challenging task. Although the use of cMRI-derived quantities as a standalone approach to define treatment options and strategies at an individual patient level should be discouraged, an evidence-based integration of clinical and cMRI data might be helpful in selected cases for an optimal work-up of patients undergoing immunomodulating or immunosuppressive treatments.
KW - Conventional MRI
KW - Multiple sclerosis
KW - Treatment response
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U2 - 10.1007/s10072-005-0515-5
DO - 10.1007/s10072-005-0515-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 16388359
AN - SCOPUS:30644475234
VL - 26
JO - Neurological Sciences
JF - Neurological Sciences
SN - 1590-1874
IS - SUPPL. 4
ER -