Characterization of chronic active multiple sclerosis lesions with sodium (23Na) magnetic resonance imaging—preliminary observations

Abstract

There has been an increasing interest in chronic active multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions as a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) marker of disease progression. Chronic active lesions are characterized by progressive tissue matrix damage, axonal loss and chronic inflammation. Sodium (23Na) MRI provides a biochemical marker of cell integrity and tissue viability in a quantitative manner. The aim of this study was to investigate with 23Na MRI tissue abnormalities in chronic active lesions as indicators of tissue destruction.