Cited by 235Multiple Sclerosis Research StudiesAdvanced Neuroimaging Techniques and ApplicationsAdvanced MRI Techniques and Applications

Spinal cord MRI in multiple sclerosis—diagnostic, prognostic and clinical value

Kearney, Hugh, Miller, David H., Ciccarelli, Olga·2015·Nature Reviews Neurology

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disorder of the CNS that affects both the brain and the spinal cord. MRI studies in MS focus more often on the brain than on the spinal cord, owing to the technical challenges in imaging this smaller, mobile structure. However, spinal cord abnormalities at disease onset have important implications for diagnosis and prognosis. Furthermore, later in the disease course, in progressive MS, myelopathy becomes the primary characteristic of the clinical presentation, and extensive spinal cord pathology--including atrophy, diffuse abnormalities and numerous focal lesions--is common. Recent spinal cord imaging studies have employed increasingly sophisticated techniques to improve detection and quantification of spinal cord lesions, and to elucidate their relationship with physical disability. Quantitative MRI measures of cord size and tissue integrity could be more sensitive to the axonal loss and other pathological processes in the spinal cord than is conventional MRI, putting quantitative MRI in a key role to elucidate the association between disability and spinal cord abnormalities seen in people with MS. In this Review, we summarize the most recent MS spinal cord imaging studies and discuss the new insights they have provided into the mechanisms of neurological impairment. Finally, we suggest directions for further and future research.

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/nrneurol.2015.80

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  • Conventional MRI of the multiple sclerosis spinal cord has low specificity for underlying pathological processes, and radiological changes fail to consistently correlate with measures of disability.

    “Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the multiple sclerosis spinal cord is limited by low specificity regarding the underlying pathological processes”

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Authors
Kearney, H., Miller, D. H., & Ciccarelli, O.
Affiliations
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (GB)
Corresponding author
Kearney, Hugh
Venue
Nature Reviews Neurology
Published
2015-05-26
Volume
11
Issue
6
Pages
327-338
ISSN
  • 1759-4758 (ISSN-L)
  • 1759-4766
OpenAlex
W1577466874
Cited by
235
References
132
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 2
FWCI
3.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature Reviews Neurology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Queen Mary University of London
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (NF-SI-0508-10058)
  • Multiple Sclerosis Society
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
Keywords
multiple sclerosis, spinal cord MRI, spinal cord lesions, quantitative MRI, disability, myelopathy, spinal cord atrophy, axonal loss, progressive multiple sclerosis
MeSH terms
Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Multiple Sclerosis, Neuromyelitis Optica, Prognosis, Spinal Cord, Disease Progression, Gray Matter

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