Diffusion Weighted Imaging in Acute Attacks of Multiple Sclerosis

Authors

Yasmin Davoudi, Department of Radiology, Imam Reza Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Mohsen Foroughipour, Department of Neurology, Ghaem Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Reza Torabi, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Parvaneh Layegh, Department of Radiology, Imam Reza Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Nassim Matin, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ali Shoeibi, Department of Neurology, Ghaem Hospital, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system. In spite of various imaging modalities, the definitive diagnosis of MS remains challenging. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in the diagnosis of acute MS attack and to compare its results with contrast enhanced MRI (CE-MRI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross sectional study, seventy patients with definite diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS were included. CE-MRI using 0.1 mmol/kg gadolinium as well as DWI sequences were performed for all patients. The percentage of patients with positive DWI was compared with the results of CE-MRI and the consistency between the two imaging modalities was evaluated. Moreover, the relationship between the time of onset of patient's symptoms and test results for both methods were investigated. RESULTS: CE-MRI yielded positive results for 61 (87%) patients and DWI yielded positive for 53 (76%) patients. In fifty patients (71.42%), both tests were positive and in six cases (8.57%), both were negative. The test results of three patients turned out to be positive in DWI, while they tested negative in CE-MRI. There was no significant relationship between the results of CE-MRI as well as DWI and the time of imaging from the onset of symptoms. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that while CE-MRI will depict more positive results, there are cases in which DWI will show a positive result while CE-MRI is negative. We suggest that the combination of these two imaging modalities might yield more positive results in diagnosing acute MS attack giving rise to a more accurate diagnosis.

Publication Date

4-1-2016

Publication Title

Iranian journal of radiology : a quarterly journal published by the Iranian Radiological Society

ISSN

1735-1065

Volume

13

Issue

2

First Page

e21740

PubMed ID

27679697

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.5812/iranjradiol.21740

Recommended Citation

Davoudi, Yasmin; Foroughipour, Mohsen; Torabi, Reza; Layegh, Parvaneh; Matin, Nassim; and Shoeibi, Ali, "Diffusion Weighted Imaging in Acute Attacks of Multiple Sclerosis" (2016). Neurology. 1507.
https://scholar.barrowneuro.org/neurology/1507