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Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system that usually affects people in their 20s or 30s. MS is one of the most common causes of non-traumatic disability among young and middle-aged individuals. (Blumenthal, 2006).
Symptoms of MS are extremely variable and often quite subtle, hence the use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging plays a crucial role in diagnosis and management. Early diagnosis and treatment can slow the progression and limit the impact of this potentially devastating disease. (Blumenthal, 2006).
Multiple sclerosis is now recognized as more than simply a disease of inflammation and demyelination in the brain and spinal cord. Conventional MRI has been established as the most important para-clinical tool in the diagnostic assessment of patients with suspected MS, and in the monitoring of treatment efficacy in clinical trials, at least in relapsing disease. Magnetization-transfer, diffusion-weighted MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and functional MRI improve our ability to quantify the pathological changes in MS. Although we have gained some insight into the disease and are starting to uncover some of the structural and physiological substrates for the disability that develops in MS patients, we are far from understanding what causes MS and how to prevent its progression. Imaging can be used as a tool to better understand the pathophysiology of MS and ultimately improve on the treatment of MS. (Tartaglia and Arnold, 2006).