Search:
MS Topics
Diagnosis Classification
Management of MS
Disease Modifying Agents
Imaging in MS
Clinical Trials in MS
Expert Exchange
Calendar of Events
Faculty
MSLeaders Home
Practice Profiles
Pharmacist Center
Nurse Center
Register for Updates
Understanding MS
 
Brain Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis
Sponsored by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine
Expiration date: August 2006
Estimated time to complete activity: 1 hour
This educational program is supported through an educational grant from Biogen Idec and Elan Pharmaceuticals.
  • Program Overview
  • MRI has become a key tool in longitudinal monitoring of patients with MS, including assessment of brain and spinal cord atrophy. Brain atrophy measurements are emerging as sensitive surrogate markers in therapeutic trials in MS. Some recent studies have shown that brain atrophy progresses significantly on an annual basis and bears a close relationship to clinical impairment. This presentation will help the practicing neurologist better understand the methods for quantifying regional and whole-brain atrophy in MS.
  • Goal Statement
  • Brain Atrophy measurements are emerging as sensitive surrogate markers in therapeutic trials in MS. This program will explain the use of these measurements in the clinical care of patients with MS.
  • Target Audience
  • This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of neurologists involved in the management of patients with multiple sclerosis.
  • Learning Objectives
  • At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
    • Explain how brain atrophy, as measured by MRI, may be useful in monitoring MS therapy
    • Describe the various measures seen on MRI and discuss their correlation with disability
    • Discuss the computer models that can guide the use of MRI measures in monitoring
    • Describe treatment options that have been shown to delay the progression of brain atrophy
  • Faculty:
  • J. Theodore Phillips, Jr., MD, PhD (Moderator)
    Multiple Sclerosis Center at Texas Neurology, Baylor University Medical Center

    Ted Phillips is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with special honors in chemistry, and received MD and PhD (Immunology) degrees and Neurology Residency training from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He is director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Texas Neurology in Dallas, and serves as a Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Attending Neurologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. He is a principal developer of a national registry for MS (MSTRAC) and is a principal investigator in several ongoing clinical treatment trials in MS.

    Rohit Bakshi, MD
    Associate Professor of Neurology Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School

    Rohit Bakshi, MD, FAAN, is an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, neurologist and neuroimager at Brigham and Women's Hospital, director of clinical MRI/MS imaging at the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, and researcher at the Center for Neurological Imaging. A Buffalo native and graduate of Cornell University, he received his MD from the SUNY University at Buffalo. As an Alpha Omega Alpha scholar, he completed a one-year neuroscience research fellowship with Dr. Alan Faden at the University of California, San Francisco. He served a one-year internship at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School followed by a neurology residency at UCLA, where he performed neuroimaging research with Dr. John Mazziotta. He then completed a one-year MRI/CT neuroimaging fellowship at the Dent Neurologic Institute followed by continuing training in functional imaging and brain mapping, including PET and SPECT.

    Dr. Bakshi is board-certified in neurology and certified in MRI-CT by the American Society of Neuroimaging. He previously served on the faculty at the University at Buffalo-SUNY, where he rose to the rank of Associate Professor of Neurology with Tenure and was Residency Program Director. He was the founding director of the Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center (BNAC), neurologist and neuroimager, and multiple sclerosis specialist at the Dent Neurologic Institute, the Jacobs Neurological Institute, and Physicians Imaging Centers. In building his research program at the BNAC, he pursued studies of quantitative MRI in MS, funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and National MS Society. He received the 1998 William H. Oldendorf Award for neuroimaging research. He is a member of the American Neurological Association, has achieved fellow status in the American Academy of Neurology, and is a grant reviewer for NIH. He serves on the editorial board of The Journal of Neuroimaging and as associate editor of NeuroRx. He is the president of the American Society of Neuroimaging. He has delivered more than 100 invited lectures and has authored more than 300 publications, including print and online articles and abstracts, more than 110 of which are peer reviewed articles. His work has appeared in a variety of journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Journal of Neuroscience, Neurology, NeuroImage, AJNR: American Journal of Neuroadiology, Annals of Neurology, The Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, NeuroReport, Multiple Sclerosis, Archives of Neurology, Brain Research, The Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, and Medscape.

    Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD
    Associate Professor of Medicine State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine

    Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD, is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY). He has staff privileges at the Jacobs Neurological Institute, Baird MS Research Center, Kaleida Health, Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center and Physician Imaging Center.

    Dr. Zivadinov received his MD from the University of Rijeka in Croatia, and he obtained the MS in neurology at the University of Rijeka. He served a one-year internship at the department of neurology at the University of Trieste in Italy, followed by a neurology residency at the same institute in 1995-1999, where he performed neuroimaging research with Professor Marino Zorzon. Under the supervision of Professor Giuseppe Cazzato, he performed training in multiple sclerosis care at Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis in the department of clinical medicine and neurology at the University of Trieste. In 1999 he became the chief researcher on multiple sclerosis in the same institute. In 1998 he founded the Postimaging Analysis Center at Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of multiple sclerosis, in the department of clinical medicine and neurology at University of Trieste; he covered a role of its executive director from 1998 to 2002.

    As a chief researcher, Dr. Zivadinov conducted and led significant and progressive research studies in the field of multiple sclerosis. Since 1999, he has also been a multiple sclerosis research consultant for several international pharmaceutical companies and foundations. Dr. Zivadinov has acquired extensive research experience in multiple sclerosis. His accomplishments in his field include: numerous awards from European and national neurological societies for his published articles, research studies and Research Fellowships.

    Dr. Zivadinov obtained his PhD in neurology at the University of Rijeka. In 2003, he was appointed to associate professor of neurology at the University of Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY) and to director of Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center.

    He has authored more than 40 publications, including print and online articles and 85 abstracts. His work has appeared in journals such as Neurology; The Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry; Neuroimage; The Journal of Neurology; Multiple Sclerosis; and Neuroepidemiology.

    Dr. Zivadinov is currently pursuing research studies of quantitative MRI findings in multiple sclerosis, therapeutic interventions including strategies towards assessing neuroprotective efforts in multiple sclerosis, but his current interests are also concentrated on genetic and neuroepidemiology fields of the same disease.

  • Instructions for Credit
  • Physician Continuing Education
    Accreditation Statement

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and Healthology. The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    Credit Designation
    The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 category 1 credits toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the activity.

    Faculty Disclosure Statements
    The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine has a conflict of interest policy that requires course faculty to disclose any real or apparent commercial financial affiliations related to the content of their presentations/materials. It is not assumed that these financial interests or affiliations will have an adverse impact on faculty presentations; they are simply noted here to fully inform participants.

    J. Theodore Phillips, Jr., MD, PhD Speakers' Bureau: Biogen Idec

    Rohit Bakshi, MD Grants/Research support, Consultant: Biogen Idec, Serono, Teva Neuroscience Speakers' Bureau: Biogen Idec, Serono, Teva Neuroscience, Berlex

    Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD Consultant, Speakers' Bureau: Biogen Idec, Teva Neuroscience

  • Method of Participation
  • There are no fees for participating and receiving CME credit for this activity. During the period August 2005 through August 2006, participants must: 1) read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures; 2) study the educational activity; 3) complete the post-test by recording the best answer to each question in the answer key on the Evaluation Form; 4) complete the Evaluation Form; and 5) mail or fax the Evaluation Form with answer key to the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine.

    A statement of credit will be issued only upon receipt of a completed activity Evaluation Form and a completed post-test with a score of 70 percent or better. Your statement of credit will be mailed to you within three weeks.

  • Media
  • Internet
  • Disclosure of Unlabeled Use
  • This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by FDA. The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM), Healthology and Biogen Idec and Elan Pharmaceuticals do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.

    The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of PIM, Healthology and Biogen Idec and Elan Pharmaceuticals. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications and warnings.

  • Disclaimer
  • Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient's conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer's product information and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

    Produced by Healthology © 2005

  • Launch Presentation

  • Launch Multimedia Format

  • Launch Text Format

  • Search: