Artificial intelligence has pinpointed three distinct subtypes of multiple sclerosis on brain scans that may enable more personalized patient treatment.
An international team of researchers trained their algorithm on more than 6,000 MS patients and validated it on another 3,000-plus individuals. They found cortex-led, normal-appearing white matter-led, and lesion-led subtypes each develop separately and respond to treatment uniquely, according to the study shared April 6 in Nature Communications.
Individual diagnoses can be directed to one of four treatment courses, but each is broadly based on the patient’s potential for relapse and future disability. These new subtypes will help researchers clinically define abnormalities to customize treatments.
"While further clinical studies are needed, there was a clear difference, by subtype, in patients' response to different treatments and in accumulation of disability over time,” Arman Eshaghi, a neurologist at University College London said to Science Alert. “This is an important step towards predicting individual responses to therapies."
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.