Discussing Novel Imaging Outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis: Eric Klawiter, MD, MSc

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“I also talked about several applications of high field strength MRI, so moving up to the 7-Tesla magnet strength, and now there are clinical 7T MRIs at some academic centers. I talked about how that could improve our evaluation of cortical pathology in multiple sclerosis.”

Neuroimaging had the potential to address specific clinical needs for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), with several techniques currently being evaluated in the field. At NeurologyLive^®’s Institutional Perspectives in Neurology meeting on Feb 9, 2022, Eric Klawiter, MD, MSc, associate neurologist, and director, Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, gave a presentation on these novel approaches and their implications for this patient population.

In his presentation, Klawiter, who is also an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, discussed the central vein sign approach, a diagnostic tool that may assist in differentiating MS from other conditions that cause changes in white matter. A particular advantage of this approach, he noted, is the ability to obtain information through a clinical MRI, while it presents a challenge in evaluating this on an automated basis. Klawiter further talked about potential of access to 7-Tesla MRI scanners to improve evaluation of cortical pathology, conceding that access to these devices may be limited, as they currently remain outnumbered by 3-Tesla MRI scanners.