Real-world Analysis of Brain Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis Patients with an Artificial Intelligence Based Software Tool

Overview

Journal Neurol Res Pract

Specialty Neurology

Date 2024 Aug 7

PMID 39113151

Authors

Caroline Reinhardt

Klemens Angstwurm

David Freudenstein

De-Hyung Lee

Christina Wendl

Ralf A Linker

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Atrophy of white and grey matter volumes occurs early in the brains of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) and has great clinical relevance. In clinical trials, brain atrophy can be quantified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with automated software tools.

Methods: In this study, we analyze volumes of various brain regions with the software "md brain" based on routine MRI scans of 53 pwMS in a real-world setting. We compare brain volumes of pwMS with an EDSS ≥ 3.5 and a disease duration ≥ 10 years to the brain volumes of pwMS with an EDSS < 3.5 and a disease duration < 10 years as well as with or without immunotherapy.

Results: pwMS with an EDSS ≥ 3.5 and a disease duration ≥ 10 years had significantly lower volumes of the total brain, the grey matter and of the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobe regions as compared to pwMS with an EDSS < 3.5 and a disease duration < 10 years. Regional brain volumes were significantly lower in pwMS without immunotherapy.

Conclusions: The study showed that higher EDSS, longer disease duration and absence of immunotherapy was associated with lower volumes in a number of brain regions. Further real-world studies may include larger patient cohorts in longitudinal analyses.

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