Choroid Plexus Volume Change-A Candidate for a New Radiological Marker of MS Progression.

(1)

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune, chronic, neuroinflammatory, demyelinating disease that affects mainly young patients. This progressive inflammatory process causes the chronic loss of brain tissue and results in a deterioration in quality of life. To monitor neuroinflammatory process activity and predict the further development of disease, it is necessary to find a suitable biomarker that could easily be used. In this research, we verify the usability of choroid plexus (CP) volume, a new MS biomarker, in the monitoring of the progression of multiple sclerosis disease. (2)

Methods

A single-center, prospective study with three groups of patients was conducted based on the following groups: MS patients who received experimental cellular therapy (Treg), treatment-naïve MS patients and healthy controls. (3)

Results

This study concludes that there is a correlation between the CPV/TIV (choroid plexus/total intracranial volume) ratio and the progress of multiple sclerosis disease-patients with MS (MS + Treg) had larger volumes of choroid plexuses. CPV/TIV ratios in MS groups were constantly and significantly growing. In the Treg group, patients with relapses had larger plexuses in comparison to the group with no relapses of MS. A similar correlation was observed for the GD+ group (patients with postcontrast enhancing plaques) compared against the non-GD group (patients without postcontrast enhancing plaques). (4)

Conclusion

Choroid plexus volume, due to its immunological function, correlates with the inflammatory process in the central nervous system. We consider it to become a valuable radiological biomarker of MS activity.