Demyelinating plaques in relapsing-remitting and secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis: assessment with diffusion MR imaging

Conventional MR imaging does not provide specific information that can be reliably associated with the pathologic substrate and clinical status of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Our goals were 1) to determine whether the orientationally averaged water diffusion coefficient (<D>) can be used to distinguish between plaques of different severity in these patients and 2) to assess possible correlations between <D> values and disease duration, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, and signal intensity on T1-weighted MR images.