Imaging of remyelination and neuronal health.
Remyelination of axons that have been demyelinated due to multiple sclerosis (MS) may be a critical step in restoring the damaged axons and reversing the disease process. While it is possible to establish the presence of remyelination with microscopy of tissue samples, it is important to have noninvasive or minimally invasive methods to measure remyelination in living animals and humans. Such tools are critical to establishing the efficacy of agents purported to promote or enhance remyelination. This chapter reviews the technology of imaging of the brain, its application to MS, and the current state of imaging techniques for measuring remyelination and the health of the associated neurons in the setting of MS.
Erickson
B J
BJ
Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. BJE@mayo.edu
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging