Evaluation of IVIM in the Spinal Cord of Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

This article evaluates the use of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), a noncontrast perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, to detect microvascular perfusion and diffusion changes in the spinal cord of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In a study comparing 15 healthy individuals and 15 female MS patients, no statistically significant differences were found in IVIM-derived metrics—including perfusion fraction, pseudo-diffusion coefficient, and water-diffusion coefficient—in spinal cord white and gray matter regions. Although IVIM showed reduced perfusion metrics in MS patients consistent with brain perfusion-weighted imaging literature, technical challenges such as motion sensitivity and limited sample size restrict definitive conclusions. The authors suggest IVIM holds promise for spinal cord evaluation in MS but recommend further research to refine methodology and validate clinical utility.