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Neuropediatrics 2018; 49(03): 165-172
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1635123
Review Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Imaging Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis—Challenges and Recent Advances

Katrin Parmar
1   Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
,
Brenda L. Banwell
2   Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
,
Nadine Akbar
3   School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
,
Sandra Bigi
4   Division of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University Children's Hospital Bern, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
Funding This study did not receive funding.
Further Information

Publication History

02 October 2017

21 January 2018

Publication Date:
26 February 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Pediatric onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) is a rare disease with an incidence of 0.07 to 2.9/100'000 children per year. It follows a relapsing–remitting disease course and is characterized by rapid accrual of inflammatory lesions, high relapse frequency, and early cognitive impairment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis of POMS, and in the exclusion of other disorders mimicking POMS. Furthermore, MRI aids in disease monitoring, and in the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy in both clinical practice and clinical trials. Volumetric MRI studies, diffusion tensor imaging, resting-state, and task-based functional MRI provide deeper insight into the impact of POMS on maturing neural networks. This review article aims to highlight the importance of MRI in the care of POMS patients and to provide an overview on the different MRI techniques used in the management of POMS.

Keywords

pediatric multiple sclerosis - magnetic resonance imaging - acute demyelinating syndromes

Ethical Approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.


Informed Consent

Not applicable.