What can be done to combat this, you might ask? Given these challenges to accurate, early diagnosis, researchers at Cedars-Sinai are focused on developing new, more precise diagnostic tools targeting MS.
The first is a biomarker called the central vein sign. It’s an MRI finding that can allow for higher-resolution imaging and identification of veins and venules. This imaging technique can help determine whether a patient’s brain lesions form around small blood vessels—a feature that distinguishes MS from other conditions.
“This marker of whether lesions develop around veins and venules in the brain is highly specific for MS, and it can help us confirm the diagnosis compared to other conventional methods,” Al-Louzi says.
Several single-center studies and retrospective analyses have been published on the central vein sign. In partnership with the National Institutes of Health, Cedars-Sinai is currently recruiting 400 patients throughout the country for a multicenter study that utilizes the central vein sign when diagnosis is still unclear and then follows the patients for two years.
Further research is underway to examine whether the use of gadolinium could enhance the visibility of these particular veins and venules on an MRI scan. Researchers are also looking at ways to leverage artificial intelligence to make advanced imaging more accessible for community use outside the academic medical center setting.
