Magnetic Resonance Imaging Abnormalities in Multiple Sclerosis: A Review

During the last two decades, magnetic resonance imaging has been widely used in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of multiple sclerosis. MRI, both conventional and non conventional methods, has transformed all aspects of MS research and clinical practice in recent years. Although advanced imaging methods have added much more to our knowledge about pathogenesis and natural history of the disease but their cost, availability, complexity and lack of validation have limited their use in routine clinical practice. Conventional MR techniques including proton density, T1/T2-Weighted images and fluid- attenuated inversion recovery sequences are now accepted in standard protocols for diagnosis and treatment outcome measures in clinical trials of multiple sclerosis. This review will focus on the type, morphology and evolution of MS lesions regarding conventional MRI and their use for treatment monitoring in daily clinical practice.