title: The clinical usefulness of routine MRI assessment.
abstract: Although the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in multiple sclerosis (MS) is widely accepted, the clinical usefulness of routine MRI for monitoring the evolution of patients with MS is less widely accepted. It is not uncommon for clinicians to say that they treat the patient, not the MRI. In this review, we highlight some of the evidence that routine MRI surveillance of patients with MS provides important information about disease activity that is not evident clinically, and that this information can help with prognosis and management decisions. Specific recommendations for MRI surveillance of MS patients are provided.
authors.affiliation: Douglas L Arnold Montreal Neurological Institute 3801 University Street Montreal Quebec Canada E-mail: douglas.arnold@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Dl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis