PLoS ONE (Apr 2011)

Improving the characterization of radiologically isolated syndrome suggestive of multiple sclerosis.

  • Nicola De Stefano,
  • Maria Laura Stromillo,
  • Francesca Rossi,
  • Marco Battaglini,
  • Antonio Giorgio,
  • Emilio Portaccio,
  • Bahia Hakiki,
  • Gianmichele Malentacchi,
  • Claudio Gasperini,
  • Mario Santangelo,
  • Maria Letizia Bartolozzi,
  • Maria Pia Sormani,
  • Antonio Federico,
  • Maria Pia Amato

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0019452
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 4
p. e19452

Abstract

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ObjectiveTo improve the characterization of asymptomatic subjects with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities highly suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition named as "radiologically isolated syndrome" (RIS).MethodsQuantitative MRI metrics such as brain volumes and magnetization transfer (MT) were assessed in 19 subjects previously classified as RIS, 20 demographically-matched relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients and 20 healthy controls (HC). Specific measures were: white matter (WM) lesion volumes (LV), total and regional brain volumes, and MT ratio (MTr) in lesions, normal-appearing WM (NAWM) and cortex.ResultsLV was similar in RIS and RRMS, without differences in distribution and frequency at lesion mapping. Brain volumes were similarly lower in RRMS and RIS than in HC (pConclusionsMacroscopic brain damage was similar in RIS and RRMS. However, the subtle tissue damage detected by MTr was milder in RIS than in RRMS in clinically relevant brain regions, suggesting an explanation for the lack of clinical manifestations of subjects with RIS. This new approach could be useful for narrowing down the RIS individuals with a high risk of progression to MS.