Venous Irregularities, Flow and Perfusion in MS Study (VERIFYMS)

The purpose of this study is to compare a MS subject to a non-MS, non-blood related subject. The 3D structural information provided by the protocol combined with the ability to observe and quantify flow through the major vessels of the neck, as well as the azygous vein, make it an ideal method for evaluating subjects' venous outflow. The protocol also has the potential to confirm the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, observe any changes in the parenchyma, as well as provide data on any potential co-morbidity which may have been previously overlooked or non-emergent. The baseline scan data acquired on normal and pre-treatment MS patients can be tracked longitudinally for MSpatients for changes in: arterial and venous cross sectional area; morphological changes of vessels, brain structures, and lesions; flow distribution and flow patterns in arteries, veins, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); iron quantification in the deep basal ganglia and thalamus; parenchymal lesion volume and morphology; atrophy or ratio of gray matter, white matter; and CSF in the intracranial space; and appearance of intracranial veins and potential iron lesions in the parenchyma. A major benefit is that MRI is independent of operator bias and acquisition can be easily reproduced.