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Review
. 2013;35(6):687-99.
doi: 10.1155/2013/484959. Epub 2013 Nov 10.

Clinical, MRI, and CSF markers of disability progression in multiple sclerosis

Alberto Gajofatto  1 , Massimiliano Calabrese, Maria Donata Benedetti, Salvatore Monaco
Affiliations
Review

Clinical, MRI, and CSF markers of disability progression in multiple sclerosis

Alberto Gajofatto et al. Dis Markers. 2013.

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) in which the complex interplay between inflammation and neurodegeneration determines varying degrees of neurological disability. For this reason, it is very difficult to express an accurate prognosis based on purely clinical information in the individual patient at an early disease stage. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are promising sources of prognostic information with a good potential of quantitative measure, sensitivity, and reliability. However, a comprehensive MS outcome prediction model combining multiple parameters is still lacking. Current relevant literature addressing the topic of clinical, MRI, and CSF markers as predictors of MS disability progression is reviewed here.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Different types of white matter lesions in MS. (a) Periventricular lesions (Dawson's fingers); (b) lesions in the corpus callosum; (c) spinal cord lesion; (d) active lesion; and (e, f) reactivated lesion with classical “ring” contrast enhancement (f).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Axial volumetric T1 weighted images of a relapsing-remitting (RR) MS patient with EDSS = 1.5 (a) and of a secondary progressive (SP) MS patient with EDSS = 5.5 (b). The SP patient showed significant whole brain and grey matter atrophy compared to RR patient.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Two contiguous red coloured axial brain MRI scans acquired with double inversion recovery sequence in a relapsing-remitting MS patient. Several intracortical lesions have been identified (arrows).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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