title: Imaging in multiple sclerosis: A new spin on lesions.
abstract: This article evaluates the most relevant state-of-the-art magnetic resonance (MR) techniques that are clinically available to investigate multiple sclerosis (MS). The presence of hypo- and hyperintense lesions on T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences in white matter (WM) is a common finding that is occasionally a diagnostic challenge for the radiologist. The technical requirements and how they may help to understand, classify or follow-up these pathologies are briefly summarized. The gold standard for MS diagnosis is pathological correlation. Yet due to limited availability of biopsy and autopsy material, there is a high demand for imaging as a diagnostic as well as prognostic indicator. With the progress in MRI during the last decade, MRI now plays a leading role in the diagnosis and follow-up of MS. A number of correlative pathological and MR studies have helped to define pathological substrates of MS in focal lesions and normal appearing white matter (NAWM). Vascular spaces mimicking MS lesions have been minimized by the enhanced differentiation of WM and grey (GM) matter parenchyma. The aim of this article is to enhance the current understanding of histopathology and radiological characteristics of MS lesions in space and time.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Radiology Department, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Rayan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bou Fakhredin
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Radiology Department, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Charbel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saade
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Radiology Department, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Racha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kerek
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Radiology Department, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: El-Jamal
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Samia J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Radiology Department, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. fe19@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Fadi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: El-Merhi
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: 
  MRI
  ; lesions; multiple sclerosis