ECTRIMS 2023 | The prognostic value of PRLs in MS progression

Ceren Tozlu, PhD, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, NY, discusses the role of paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) in predicting disease evolution in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Characterized by iron-laden macrophages, these lesions represent only a small fraction of overall MS lesions but have shown associations with cognitive and motor impairments. The longitudinal study, involving 96 MS patients, utilized quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to identify PRLs and measure disability change with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The research adopted a machine learning approach, specifically the random forest method, to classify disease progression. Remarkably, the study indicated that after time, the number of PRLs was the second most critical predictor of disease progression. The findings suggest the potential of PRLs as valuable prognostic imaging biomarkers, potentially guiding therapeutic decisions in MS. This interview took place at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) Congress 2023 in Milan, Italy.

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