2023-07-11 15:08:04
New Method for Early Detection of Multiple Sclerosis Discovered Using MRI
Vienna-based researchers at the Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna have discovered a new method to detect certain brain changes associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the early stages of the disease using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The findings were published in the journal “Nature Biomedical Engineering.”
Currently, doctors use MRI to diagnose MS by examining images of the brain and identifying specific tissue changes associated with the disease. However, this method is only effective from a certain stage of the disease. Early detection is crucial for timely treatment and delaying the progression of MS. As a result, researchers have been searching for signs of MS even sooner.
Led by Wolfgang Bogner, the research team developed a new technique that can visualize brain changes associated with MS in the early stages before they would be detected by conventional MRI. The team uses MRI not only to acquire images but also to measure spectra, which provide information about the brain’s metabolism. This innovative method, known as proton MR spectroscopy, allows researchers to detect breakdown products of sugar molecules, which are metabolized by brain cells.
MRI scans provide high-resolution structural information by measuring the density of hydrogen atom nuclei in the tissue. However, the researchers in Vienna measure spectra from the MRI device, allowing them to obtain local information about the brain’s metabolism. Using this method, they were able to observe the sugar metabolism in the brain without the use of radioactivity. Before the examination, subjects only needed to consume a commercially available, high-sugar soft drink. Although the sugar itself cannot be detected directly in the MR spectrum, its degradation products can be detected indirectly.
The researchers used an MRI device with a magnetic field strength of seven Tesla for their study, making it the only device in Austria with such high field strength. A higher magnetic field strength provides a more sensitive measurement. Most clinics, however, only have MRI machines with three Tesla. The researchers believe that their method can be further developed to allow for early detection of MS using a three Tesla MRI.
The study involved 65 MS patients and 20 healthy controls. The results are promising but still need to be confirmed by an independent research group before the method can be widely implemented for early detection of MS.
This groundbreaking research offers hope for earlier diagnosis and treatment of MS, potentially improving the lives of millions of people affected by this debilitating disease.]
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