MRI in Multiple Sclerosis Description of Lesions and Guidelines for Standardized MRI Examinations

The diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is based on clinical findings that are characterized by sudden neurological deficits in different parts of the CNS. Dissemination of lesions in space and time is the basic criterion. MRI can demonstrate most precisely any changes in the water content of brain tissue thus making it a very sensitive diagnostic tool to detect inflammatory processes like MS plaques. The following will briefly summarize the diagnostic features and procedures and will assess the appearance of typical MS lesions, their localization and configuration, which are essential for diagnosis and follow up examinations. It will propose the preferred sequences and technical parameters for standardized baseline examinations and follow-ups.