Imaging immunomodulatory treatment responses in a multiple sclerosis mouse model using hyperpolarized 13C metabolic MRI.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used in the clinic to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS), which affects the central nervous system and leads to a range of disabling symptoms. However, MRI is often not capable of detecting how well a patient responds to therapies, in particular those targeting the immune system. We questioned whether an advanced MRI method called hyperpolarized ¹³C MRS could help. Using a mouse model for MS, we showed that hyperpolarized ¹³C MRS can detect response to two therapies used in the clinic, namely fingolimod and dimethyl fumarate when conventional MRI could not. We also showed that this method is sensitive to the immune response. As hyperpolarized ¹³C MRS is becoming available in many centers worldwide, it could be used to evaluate existing and new treatments for people living with MS, improving care and quality of life.