MS is an autoimmune condition which results in inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. MS commonly begins with a relapsing-remitting phase (RRMS), with flare-ups of symptoms or ‘relapses’ followed by recovery. Many treatments are available that reduce the chances of relapse, but people living with MS may need to stop or switch treatments due to side effects, ineffectiveness, pregnancy, or if transitioning to progressive MS, where few treatments have proven to be effective. Recent research found people living with MS on certain therapies do not develop a protective immune response following COVID-19 vaccination, meaning they and their doctors could decide to pause therapy to be vaccinated. Deciding whether to stop or continue treatment can be difficult, because stopping may lead to more relapses or worsening symptoms, while continuing may cause other problems.
This research will study how brain inflammation is affected by stopping or pausing treatment using new MRI technologies.
People living with MS will have brain scans using a 7-Tesla MRI scanner which has over twice the magnetic strength as scanners available in hospitals, providing better images and more information about disease activity. This will be compared to routine hospital scans to see if smaller and subtler changes of MS activity can be identified, potentially giving clinicians and people living with MS more information to make treatment decisions.
Dr Li and her team recruited a total of 20 participants to this study. Of these participants, 10 were switching their MS treatment and 10 were stable on their current treatment. The two groups were well matched in age, sex and disability level to ensure the comparison was accurate.
Dr Li and her team completed clinical assessments and two MRI scans for each person (one using a standard hospital-based MRI scanner (3-Tesla) and one using a high-strength research MRI scanner (7-Tesla)) at three different time points over six months.
Dr Li and her team are now analysing the 3-Tesla and 7-Tesla MRI data for new or enlarging brain lesions across the three time points. They are comparing changes between the two groups of participants and between 3-Tesla and 7-Tesla MRI scanners.
From the analyses so far, two participants who were switching treatments developed new brain lesions during the study follow-up period, but they did not show any new symptoms. Closer analysis of these new lesions using 7-Tesla imaging showed signs of inflammation which appeared to develop and then settle down over time. Analysis will continue this year.
Dr Li and her team plan to submit their findings as conference abstracts and publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals later this year.
Updated 31 March 2025
$24,990
2022
1 year
Current project
