New MRI Technology Improves Spinal Cord Lesion Imaging
Enhanced hardware and AI tools may provide clearer scans for adults managing multiple sclerosis.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Alzheimer’s
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New advancements in spinal cord MRI technology are helping clinicians better detect lesions associated with multiple sclerosis. These improvements in hardware and AI-assisted processing address long-standing challenges in imaging the small, motion-prone structures of the spinal cord.
Why it matters
Spinal cord lesions are notoriously difficult to capture with conventional imaging due to their size and susceptibility to motion artifacts. Enhancing the precision of these scans allows for more consistent clinical assessments of disease progression.
Reported at the 10th Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting, the latest developments focus on overcoming physical barriers to spinal cord visualization. While hardware and AI tools show promise, the consistency of these imaging protocols across different clinical sites remains under evaluation.
The players
Julien Cohen-Adad
A professor at Polytechnique Montreal specializing in spinal cord MRI technology and image processing.
ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS
A collaborative organization of international committees dedicated to research and treatment of multiple sclerosis.
The details
Higher-field MRI hardware and refined image acquisition protocols now allow for the detailed visualization of small spinal cord lesions. AI algorithms further support this process by automating the segmentation of these lesions, reducing the impact of motion-related artifacts. Ongoing collaboration between researchers and manufacturers is essential to ensure these tools function reliably across various clinical settings.
Timeline
October 21-23, 2026: The 10th Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting took place in Toronto.
Health Landscape
The Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting serves as a central hub for integrating emerging imaging diagnostics into standard multiple sclerosis care. This work continues the broader transition toward using high-resolution, AI-supported diagnostics to refine clinical monitoring for neurodegenerative disease.
These improvements in spinal cord imaging aim to provide your doctor with clearer, more consistent data regarding disease activity. If you have concerns about the role of imaging in your multiple sclerosis care, discuss with your neurologist how current scan protocols are used to monitor your progress.
The takeaway
Reliable imaging is a cornerstone of managing multiple sclerosis effectively, as better visualization leads to more informed clinical decisions. When meeting with your neurologist, ask about the specific imaging protocols used at your facility to monitor spinal cord health.
Further reading
For more on evolving diagnostic tools, visit our Alzheimer’s section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Neurologylive.
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