Imaging biomarkers in the spinal cord & brain using diffusion MRI

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Development of axonal and myelin imaging biomarkers in the spinal cord and brain using diffusion MRI.

• IRAS ID

  136465

• Contact name

  Olga Ciccarelli

• Contact email

  o.ciccarelli@ion.ucl.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  UCL Sponsor Representative

• Research summary

  We aim to optimise new diffusion methods for myelin and axon measurements, which are currently being developed in pre-clinical models,(NODDI, AxCalibre, ActiveAx and high b values q-space imaging) and apply them to the spinal cord and brain of patients with MS and spinal cord imjury (SCI), to explore whether they can distinguish between patients and controls and correlate with clinical disability in the patient groups.
  Age- and gender-matched healthy controls will also be recruited. On the day of the scanning, patients will be clinically assessed with a range of neurological scales, commonly used in MS and SCI studies.

• REC name

  London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  14/LO/0608

• Date of REC Opinion

  22 May 2014

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion