More MS news articles for March 2004

Measuring Brain Atrophy without MRI

http://www.bostoncure.org:8080/article.pl?sid=04/03/12/128228&mode=nested

March 1, 2004
Art Mellor
Boston Cure Project

One of the few measurements in MS that correlates with disability is brain atrophy. This is generally measured by having an MRI. While not invasive, it can be inconvenient, and is currently expensive so even when insurance covers the cost they are not done frequently. Researchers in Germany have found that a simple bedside procedure involving transcranial sonography can measure the size of the ventricles in your brain (where most of the atrophy occurs) and this correlates well with MRI results. This may allow for us getting a better understanding of one of the main processes in MS in a cheap, simple, and efficient way.