STM Article Repository

Objectives: MS is one of the the most common disabling neurological disorders, characterized by focal areas of myelin degradation which are called plaques. Identify of new active MS plaques is important to diagnosis or treatment evaluation. This study was aimed to compare early and delayed T1 and MT sequences with contrast injection to determine the activity of MS plaques.

Methods: In this cross sectional study on 37 patients whose clinical symptoms indicated the relapses of MS, in addition to routine sequences of T1, T2 and flair, early and delayed T1 and MT sequences after gadolinium injection were applied using Philips MRI machine in Imam Reza Hospital of Kermanshah from September 2014 through September 2015. Data were analyzed using statistical tests and SPSS software version 20.

Results: Delayed sequences identified more round lesions than the target. Moreover, early MT sequences could also show more lesions than the early T1 sequences (P<0.001). Compared with delayed MT and early T1 sequences, the results obtained from early MT sequences showed higher number of stained lesions (P<0.001); however, there was no significant statistical difference between early and delayed T1 sequences (P<0.833). Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, when MRI is used to diagnose new and active plaques or detect recurrent disease in MS patients, it is suggested to use early MT sequences because after the injection it is more sensitive for the detection of active plaques compared with other routine sequences.