MRI of spinal cord in MS

Over the last 10 - 15 years, magnetic resonance imaging techniques have had a major impact in understanding and managing multiple sclerosis. The prese nt review briefly summarises the current usefulness of spinal cord MRI in M S disease, examining the frequency, distribution and main characteristics o f spine MS plaques; the differential diagnosis with other spinal cord disea se was also described. Finally we considered how newer imaging sequences wh en added to semi-automated quantitative methods, may give us a putative too l to reliably quantify subtle changes which develop on the spinal cord of M S patients over time.