GADOLINIUM-ENHANCED MRI PREDICTS CLINICAL AND MRI DISEASE-ACTIVITY INRELAPSING-REMITTING MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

The aim of the study was to evaluate the predictive power of baseline gadolinium (Gd.) enhanced MRI in relation to subsequent clinical and M RI activity. Sixty eight patients with clinically definite relapsing-r emitting multiple sclerosis had a baseline Gd enhanced MRI and were fo llowed up clinically and by monthly Gd enhanced MRI for six months. Th e occurrence of relapses during the follow up period was predicted by the presence of at least one enhancing lesion on the baseline MRI (P < 0.05). The number and volume of enhancing lesions at baseline were si gnificantly associated with both enhancing lesions observed during the follow up period (P < 0.0001) and the accumulation of abnormality on T2 weighted images (P < 0.0001). Moreover, the presence of three or mo re enhancing lesions at baseline scan was consistently associated with the development of permanent abnormalities on T2 weighted images six months later. The study suggests that the number and volume of Gd enha ncing lesions at a single examination are strong short term predictors of subsequent clinical and MRI activity.