Guidelines for the use of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing and monitoring the treatment of multiple sclerosis: recommendations of the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Association and the Swedish Neuroradiological Society

• Published in: Acta neurologica Scandinavica Vol. 135; no. 1; pp. 17 - 24
• Main Authors: Vågberg, M., Axelsson, M., Birgander, R., Burman, J., Cananau, C., Forslin, Y., Granberg, T., Gunnarsson, M., von Heijne, A., Jönsson, L., Karrenbauer, V. D., Larsson, E.‐M., Lindqvist, T., Lycke, J., Lönn, L., Mentesidou, E., Müller, S., Nilsson, P., Piehl, F., Svenningsson, A., Vrethem, M., Wikström, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Hindawi Limited 01.01.2017; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: 1993; brain; brain mri; controlled phase-3 trial; Diagnosis; double-blind; Guidelines; Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy; Health Sciences; Humans; Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi; Hälsovetenskap; Inflammation; interferon beta-1a; ller dh; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - standards; magnims consensus guidelines; Medical and Health Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; multifocal leukoencephalopathy; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis - diagnostic imaging; natalizumab; Neuroimaging; Neurologi; Neurology; Neurology - organization & administration; Neurosciences & Neurology; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; oral teriflunomide; p1077; placebo-controlled trial; Practice Guidelines as Topic; progressive; Recommendations; Review; Societies, Medical; Society; Spinal cord; Sweden; v116; guidelines; magnetic resonance imaging; recommendations; multiple sclerosis
• ISSN: 0001-6314; 1600-0404; 1600-0404
• DOI: 10.1111/ane.12667

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with inflammatory lesions in the brain and spinal cord. The detection of such inflammatory lesions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is important in the consideration of the diagnosis and differential diagnoses of MS, as well as in the monitoring of disease activity and predicting treatment efficacy. Although there is strong evidence supporting the use of MRI for both the diagnosis and monitoring of disease activity, there is a lack of evidence regarding which MRI protocols to use, the frequency of examinations, and in what clinical situations to consider MRI examination. A national workshop to discuss these issues was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in August 2015, which resulted in a Swedish consensus statement regarding the use of MRI in the care of individuals with MS. The aim of this consensus statement is to provide practical advice for the use of MRI in this setting. The recommendations are based on a review of relevant literature and the clinical experience of workshop attendees. It is our hope that these recommendations will benefit individuals with MS and guide healthcare professionals responsible for their care.