DIAGNOSIS OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS BY MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that causes demyelinating lesions and affects the conduction of nerve impulses. The disease affects young female adults in greater numbers. Early diagnosis and monitoring of multiple sclerosis are essential to improve and monitor the evolution and treatment of the disease. It is an autoimmune inflammatory disease with genetic and environmental predisposition still under study. MS can be classified into four types (RRMS), (PPMS), (MSMS), (PRMS). According to the WHO, in 2024, it is estimated that 28 million people will have MS globally and approximately 40 thousand in Brazil. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), especially with the Magnetization Transfer technique (MTC), is a key method in detecting these lesions by interacting specifically with the affected tissues, providing detailed information about the chemical and structural composition, aiding in diagnosis. The present work reports the role of the Magnetization Transfer technique (MTC) in Magnetic Resonance Imaging for a more accurate detection of multiple sclerosis and discusses how important this technique is in the diagnosis and more effective treatment of the disease. Furthermore, with technological advances, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in MRI has demonstrated, through algorithms, subtypes based on MRI that predict the development of MS disability and response to treatment and can be used to conceptualize groups of patients in interventional trials.