MAGNIMS consensus on MRI diagnosis of multiple sclerosis

Since the last update of McDonald diagnostic criteria in 2010¹, new scientific data on the use of MRI have become available. Given this fact, the European Collaborative Research Network that studies MRI in MS (MAGNIMS) organized a workshop, where, based on evidence-based and expert-opinions, new recommendations arised².

This new recommendations focused on for the "dissemination in space" criteria. There was a simultaneous widening and narrowing of these criteria. The optic neuritis was added to the previous four defined locations (periventricular, cortical, infratentorial and spinal cord), but now there is a minimum of three or more periventricular lesions to consider.

Additionally, new MRI techniques has improved the sensitivity for the detection of cortical lesions^3-7. Based on this evidence, the new "cortical" location was added to the previous "juxtacortical" location, Despite this, there was no consensus on the optimal MRI technique for the detection of cortical lesions.

The new 2016 MAGNIMS MRI criteria establish "disease dissemination in space", by detecting involvement of at least two of the five following areas of the CNS:

- Three or more periventricular lesions, cortical, infratentorial and spinal cord

- One or more infratentorial lesion

- One or more spinal cord lesion

- One or more optic nerve lesion

- One or more cortical or juxtacortical lesion

_{Note: The symptomatic lesions are not excluded from the criteria}