2023 American Academy of Neurology Abstract Website

Objective:

The purpose of this analysis is to gain insights into some of the challenges faced in a clinical setting when using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the monitoring of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity.

Background:

MRI is considered by many to be the gold standard for the diagnosis and monitoring of MS. Imaging metrics are often the primary outcome measures for clinical trials assessing the efficacy of new treatments. While there have been significant technological advances in imaging techniques in research, practical application in a clinical setting has lagged for numerous reasons including cost and accessibility. Differences in equipment, sequence methodologies, and the interpretation can also affect the quality of the reports and the overall usefulness of MRI as a tool.

Design/Methods:

During a timeframe spanning 2020-2022, imaging metrics were collected from a database search of a single private practice with six practitioners in Salt Lake City, UT, USA serving several MS patients throughout the Intermountain West.

Results:

Approximately 200 brain MRI reports were input into the clinic database monthly with about 120 of those being ordered by directly by clinic and the remaining coming from referrals. In a single month, MRI images came from over 50 different facilities. Roughly 60% of those images were from the local hospital network, Intermountain Healthcare, which is comprised of over more than twenty different locations. Another 20% of scans came from the stand-alone imaging center, Mountain Medical Imaging, and another 20% of scans were from imaging centers representing less than 5% of the scans by volume.

Conclusions:

With an increasing number of MRI techniques and facilities available it is more important than ever for sites to be aware of the various factors that may affect the quality of imaging they use to evaluate and treat MS patients in their care.