Multiple sclerosis: Improve monitoring, inform treatment decisions
Research into multiple sclerosis (MS) is no exception. Ten leading clinical centers, the biotechnology company Biogen, and Siemens Healthineers have joined forces to help combat this disease of the central nervous system.
Digging into real-world data
The role of imaging
MS on MRI images
Lesions that are hyperintense on T2-weighted MR images can indicate areas of MS demyelination and damage to the CNS. In the images, MS lesions appear bright. On a single scan, the total volume of lesions can be used to quantify the disease burden that a patient has accumulated over time. New lesions that have appeared since the previous MRI are a marker of MS disease activity and are commonly used in routine check-ups to monitor a person’s response to therapy. All currently available MS treatments work by reducing MS inflammatory activity. The new or enlarging T2 lesion count helps neurologists decide whether it is necessary to switch to a different treatment.
Precision diagnostics, precision treatment
- [1] Ø Torkildsen, K-M Myhr, and L Bø: Disease-modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis – a review of approved medications. Eur J Neurol. 2016 Jan; 23(Suppl 1): 18–27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4670697/
1 The product/feature is still under development and not commercially available yet. Its future availability cannot be ensured.
The concepts and information presented in this paper are based on research and are not commercially available. The statements by Siemens Healthineers customers described herein are based on results that were achieved in the customer’s unique setting. Since there is no “typical” hospital and many variables exist (e.g., hospital size, case mix, level of IT adoption) there can be no guarantee that other customers will achieve the same results.