The value of conventional high-field MRI in MS in the light of the McDonald criteria: a literature review

• Published in: Acta neurologica Scandinavica Vol. 122; no. 3; pp. 149 - 158
• Main Authors: Lunde Larsen, L. S., Larsson, H. B. W., Frederiksen, J. L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2010; Blackwell
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brain - pathology; clinically isolated syndrome; Diagnosis, Differential; Early Diagnosis; high field; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - standards; Medical sciences; multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis - diagnosis; Neurology; PubMed - statistics & numerical data; Nervous system diseases; Multiple sclerosis; magnetic resonance imaging; Light; Central nervous system disease; High field; Review; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; clinically isolated syndrome; Inflammatory disease
• ISSN: 0001-6314; 1600-0404
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2010.01403.x

Lunde Larsen LS, Larsson HBW, Frederiksen JL. The value of conventional high‐field MRI in MS in the light of the McDonald criteria: a literature review.
Acta Neurol Scand: 122: 149–158.
© 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. The diagnosis of MS is based on the revised McDonald criteria and is multidisciplinary. Both clinical and paraclinical measures are included. High‐field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is becoming increasingly available and it is therefore necessary to clarify possible advantages of high‐field MRI in MS. The aim of this paper was to review MRI studies in MS where a direct comparison of MRI at high field with MRI at 1–1.5 tesla (T) had been performed. The studies evaluated were found by searching Pubmed with relevant terms including MeSH terms. The reviewed studies all found the conspicuity of lesions to be better at high field. Of the seven studies, six found more and bigger lesions at high‐field MRI. In the present paper, the relevant MRI sequences are evaluated in detail. The detection of more lesions at high‐field strength did not seem to lead to earlier diagnosis of clinically definite multiple sclerosis. Further larger studies of patients with clinically isolated syndromes are needed to settle the question of a diagnostic consequence of high‐field imaging in MS. We suggest that the next revision of the McDonald diagnostic criteria include a recommendation of field strength.