MS Protocol

[LisaH]

I'm wondering if anyone can explain how an MS protocol brain MRI differs from a regular brain MRI. I'm assuming that it's more likely to show up lesions (if any exist) but I can't seem to find specifics about it. Thanks in advance for comments!

[jimmylegs]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604694/

[LisaH]

Thanks for the link, but I didn't see anything specifically about "MS protocol" which is what I'm wondering about. Do you know if it means there are more images taken, higher quality images, etc?

[jimmylegs]

i don't know enough about it to advise sry

[LisaH]

Thanks for replying, though.

[koneall]

For me the MRI showed a lot of white spots spread out across the skull. The neurologist remarked that it was an advanced stage of MS. Even my wife noticed all the white. The S in MS means sclerosis. In effect scar tissue. The more scar tissue, the more MS. I go back for another MRI 3 months after the first one. I'm on tysabri monthly infusions now. So far no relapses since the first event--vertigo--in July.

kaypeeoh

[LisaH]

Thanks for the reply, koneall. Was your MRI done with the MS protocol? I'm wondering if it's designed to show more than a regular MRI.

[jimmylegs]

good ol google found this today
http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.mscare.org ... nes.v2.pdf

[LisaH]

Thank you for the link, jimmylegs!

[koneall]

It was brain and cervical spine with Gadolinum contrast agent.

kaypeeoh

[jimmylegs]

ya i emerged momentarily from google scholar and there it was ;)

[centenarian100]

Basically, it is just an optimized protocol for looking at MS lesions

There are different protocols at different institutions for multiple sclerosis. Many protocols often include specific sequences such as T2 sagittal FLAIR which is good for looking at corpus callosum lesions. Often, the protocol specifies "no gaps" between cuts in order to avoid missing small lesions. MRI of the spine also includes the T2 sagittal STIR sequence which is a fat suppression sequence which may make it easier to see spine lesions.

Some institutions may include sequences such as T2 MERGE for the spine.

There are different protocols for different for diseases. For instance, epilepsy protocols may include thin coronal cuts through the hippocampus if they are looking for mesial temporal sclerosis. This would not be particularly helpful for MS and would waste scan time.