Abstract #5168

The future role of MRI in confirming and monitoring multiple sclerosis diagnosis without intravenous administration of GBCAs.

Mariaan Jaftha^1,2, Susan Janse Van Rensburg³, Merlisa Claudia Kemp^4,5, Frances Robertson⁶, Maritha J Kotze⁷, Clint Johannes⁸, Ronald Van Toorn⁹, and Penelope Engel-Hills¹

¹Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa, ²Faculty of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, ³Division of Chemical Pathology,Department of Pathology,Faculty of Medicine&Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa, ⁴Department of Medical Imaging & Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health & Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa, ⁵Medical Imaging, Department of Health and Care Professions, Faculty of health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, South Cloisters, United Kingdom, ⁶Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, ⁷Division of Chemical Pathology,Department of Pathology,Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa, ⁸Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa, ⁹Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa

Synopsis

Keywords:

Motivation: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS). MS diagnosis needs the objective assessment of white matter (WM) lesions as they disseminate both in space and time.

Goal(s): More refined MRI sequences have vastly improved the characterisation of brain volume and focal white matter lesions.

Approach: In this study, MRI scans were obtained of 25 adult females diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS and 25 control subjects without MS.

Results: Data collected shows a clear distinction between the lesion volumes from the two groups and enhances the validity of MRI and its potential clinical applicability.

Impact: The high costs and chance of allergic reactions to GBCAs may impose limitations within the patient’s treatment plan. Our study reaffirms the value of MRI without the use of GBCAs and demonstrates its potential for long-term monitoring of MS.

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