Nine patients of clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) were examined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1.0T. The MS plaques were seen in the brain and spinal cord in eight and three patients. respectively. The frequent sites of MS plaques were periventricular white matter, brain stem, and cervical cord. The shape of most brain MS plaques was round or finger-like configuration. The MS plaques showed high signal intensity on R2 weighted images and low or iso signal intensity on T1 weighted images in all nine cases. Contrast enhancement was seen in 4 cases. Mild brain atrophy was noted in 2 cases and mass effect in 1 case. The sites of cord MS plaques in three patients were C2-C4, C2-C5, and C4-C6 levels respectively. The cord MS plaques showed high signal intensity on T2 weighted image and contrast enhancement on Gd-DTPA enhanced T1 weighted images in all 3cases with mild cord expansion in 2 cases. In conclusion, MRI is a useful diagnostic tool in evaluationg the MS plaques involving central nervous system.
Atrophy ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Central Nervous System ; Cervical Cord ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Multiple Sclerosis* ; Spinal Cord ; White Matter