New Frontiers of MR-based Techniques in Multiple Sclerosis

In the past few years there have been impressive advances in the implementation of modern MRI techniques for the assessment of MS patients with the ultimate goal to define MRI markers of MS evolution. The authors of this volume not only review these new techniques, such as magnetization transfer (MT) MRI, diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI and proton MR spectroscopy (MRS), that are increasingly being used to monitor MS evolution, but also those, such as functional MRI (fMRI), cell-specific MRI, perfusion MRI, and microscopic imaging with ultra-high field MRI, that are emerging as additional promising tools for improving our understanding of MS pathophysiology. Strengths and weaknesses of all these modern quantitative MRI techniques for the study of MS are extensively covered in this book. The book also provides a valuable summary of the state of the art.

1— Cell-Specific Imaging in Pathologic Conditions of the Central Nervous System, with Special Reference to Multiple Sclerosis.- 2 — Magnetization Transfer Imaging.- 3 — Diffusion-Weighted MRI.- 4 — Global Brain Proton MR Spectroscopy in MS.- 5 — Perfusion MRI.- 6 — Functional MRI.- 7 — In Vivo Microscopic Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis with High Field MRI.