Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences1028-88801812-5735Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/pjbs.2010.1195.1201MiabiZinat MidiaMehran MidiaRamin MoghinanDariush 1220101324Multiple Sclerosis (MS) begins most commonly in young adults and is characterized by multiple areas of Central Nervous System (CNS) white matter inflammation, demyelination and glial scarring. The most valuable laboratory aid for diagnosing MS is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). An advanced type of MRI that exploits molecular diffusion can detect acute and active lesions. Early diagnosis and onset of treatment help to hinder disease progression. The aim of this study was to compare the findings of conventional and Diffusion-Weighted (DW) MRI in assessing the cerebral lesions of MS patients. Thirty patients with clinically definite MS (mean age 32.76±8.79 years) and an age- and sex-matched control group of 30 healthy volunteers (mean age 32.75±9.23 years) were enrolled in this 12 month descriptive-prospective survey. Both groups were subjected to conventional and DW MRI and were compared in respect of the total number, morphology, location and the mean size of the intra-cerebral MS plaques. The sensitivities and specificities of both imaging methods in detecting these plaques were determined. The conventional method revealed significantly more plaques within the brain (p<0.05) and showed more ovoid lesions. More lesions were detected by the conventional method in the periventricular area, centrum semiovale and corpus callosum. The minimum plaque size was significantly lower in the conventional method group. The sensitivity of both methods was 100%. The specificities of conventional and DW MRI were 86.6 and 96.6%, respectively, so DW MRI may detect lesions that are not obvious by routine methods.]]>Ascherio, A., K.L. Munger and K.C. Simon,20109599612Bammer, R., M. Augustin, S. Strasser-Fuchs, T. Seifert and P. Kapeller et al.,200044583591Calabrese, M., M. Filippi and P. Gallo,20106438444Casaccia-Bonnefil, P., G. Pandozy and F. Mastronardi,200886368378Cercignani, M., M. Bozzali, G. Iannucci, G. Comi and M. Filippi,200170311317Christiansen, P., P. Gideon, C. Thomsen, M. Stubgaard, O. Henriksen and H.B. Larsson,199387195199Confavreux, C. and S. Vukusic,200818589622Fabiano, A.J., J. Sharma, B. Weinstock-Guttman, F.E. Munschauer, R.H. Benedict, R. Zivadinov and R. Bakshi,200313307314Filippi, M.,2001In vivo tissue characterization of multiple sclerosis and other white matter diseases using magnetic resonance based techniques.]]>24810191029Filippi, M., G. Iannucci, M. Cercignani, M. Assunta Rocca, A. Pratesi and G. Comi,20005710171021Filippi, M. and M.A. Rocca,200324S275S278Filippi, M. and M. Inglese,2001186S37S43Filippi, M. and R.I. Grossman,20025811471153Filippi, M. and F. Agosta,2009175465482Filippi, M. and M.A. Rocca,20102010Grossman, R.I. and D.M. Yousem,20032nd Edn.,Horsfield, M.A.,2001186S51S54Horsfield, M.A., M. Lai, S.L. Webb, G.J. Barker and P.S. Tofts et al.,199636393400Kidd, D., F. Barkhof, R. McConnell, P.R. Algra, I.V. Allen and T. Revesz,19991221726Koutsouraki, E, V. Costa and S. Baloyannis,201022213Larsson, H.B., C. Thomsen, J. Frederiksen, M. Stubgaard and O. Henriksen,1992In vivo magnetic resonance diffusion measurement in the brain of patients with multiple sclerosis.]]>10712Leocani, L. and G. Comi,200829218221Mascalchi, M., M. Filippi, R. Floris, C. Fonda, R. Gasparotti and N. Villari,2005109155197Mathiesen, H.K., A.R. Langkilde and H.B. Larsson,200216410311036Mehta, B.K.,2010292510Nusbaum, A.O., D. Lu, C.Y. Tang and S.W. Atlas,2000175821825Poser, C.M., D.W. Paty, L. Scheinberg, W.I. McDonald and F.A. Davis et al.,198313227231Ramli, N., K. Rahmat, K. Azmi and H.T. Chong,201017422427Rovaris, M., G. Comi and M. Filippi,2001186S3S9Rowland, L.P.,200010th Edn.,Schmierer, K., D.R. Altmann, N. Kassim, H. Kitzler and C.M. Kerskens et al.,200410182187Sutton, D.,20037th Edn.,pp: 724-726pp: 724-726Tomassini, V. and C. Pozzilli,20092863539Villar, L.M., M. Espino, M.L. Cavanillas, E. Roldan and E. Urcelay et al.,20102010Werring, D.J., C.A. Clark, G.J. Barker, A.J. Thompson and D.H. Miller,19995216261632William, W. and J. Orrison,19983rd Edn.,Wilson, M., P.S. Morgan, X. Lin, B.P. Turner and L.D. Blumhardt,200170318322Zipp, F.,20092872429Frederikson, S.,2010172427