Eye Scan May Help Diagnose, Treat MS
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Medical Update Memo
October 31, 2007
Summary
A short and simple eye
scan not only appears capable of spotting multiple
sclerosis earlier
in the course of the disease, but might
also provide a way to track progression of
the
illness, as well as the effectiveness new
drugs in development,
researchers say.
The findings, which involve a technology
called optical coherence tomography (OCT),
are published
in the October issue of the journal Neurology.
Details
Much current research into
MS has focused on the damage to the myelin.
But it is
becoming increasingly evident that
the axon, or nerve
fibre, is also damaged in individuals
with MS.
Conventional MRIs have long been used
to measure decreases in the brain's
volume, an indication
of how many neurons are dying. But
MRI technology is expensive and uncomfortable.
It is also
often misleading because it doesn't
take
into account the brain inflammation
that is also
a characteristic of the disease.
And brain
shrinkage happens relatively late
in the disease, when treatments are less
effective.
Optical coherence tomography, a new
technology, gauges the thickness
of retinal nerve
fibre, which becomes the optic
nerve and is affected
early in the course of MS. This
is also the only part of the brain where
nerve
cells,
even in healthy people, are not
coated in myelin.
The OCT test would specifically
pick up on nerve damage, as opposed to
more general
brain changes, the researchers
said.
For the study, the Hopkins researchers
used the eye exam to scan the
layers of nerve
fibres of the retina in 40 people
with either relapsing-remitting
MS, secondary progressive MS,
or primary progressive MS. Fifteen
healthy volunteers
served as control
participants. There appeared
to be a strong association between
retinal
fibre
thickness
and how much brain atrophy was
present.
This technology if proven effective
in larger studies, will offer
a diagnostic tool which
has the potential to help with
earlier detection at a fraction
of the current
cost of MRI.
With its ability to evaluate
damage to
the axon
itself, this technology could
end up paving the way for more
effective
drugs
as well.
ASK MS Information System Code: 1.3.13.c
Disponible en français.
Disclaimer
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is an independent, voluntary health
agency and does not approve, endorse or recommend any specific product or
therapy, but provides information to assist individuals in making their own
decisions.
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