Clinical Trials in Degenerative Diseases

REVIEW
Year
: 2017  |  Volume : 2  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 1--6

Use of PIXYL software analysis of brain MRI (with & without contrast) as valuable metric in clinical trial tracking in study of multiple sclerosis (MS) and related neurodegenerative processes


Robert W Alexander 
 Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Stevensville, MT, USA

Correspondence Address:
Robert W Alexander
Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Stevensville, MT
USA

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex inflammatory disorder of the brain and spinal cord in which focal lymphocytic infiltrates lead to damage of myelin and axons. Often this seems associated with a type of autoimmune and inflammatory disorder which is transient, with attempted remyelination that is not durable. Neurological disorders appear somewhat randomly, seem to improve and demonstrate recovery. Progression is variable, but over time, seems to become more widespread with microglial activation associated with extensive chronic neurodegeneration and persistent disability. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with and without contrast, has become the standard metric of finding and following lesions and axonal loss. The traditional methods of treatment include medications, diet, exercises, and neurological supportive care. The medications are limitedly effective, and often have very undesirable side effects. Medications seem to reduce the frequency of new episodes, but are not yet able to reverse acquired deficits or long-term progression. Clinical trials exploring cellular therapy are currently underway, and showing some interesting progress with management of many with the MS disorder. What has been needed is a reliable and affordable metric to track the patient's clinical progress, both from a location of lesion and volumetric changes on MRI. PIXYL software offers a major improvement in providing tracking capability of outcomes in use of medications or cellular therapy. Time consuming, limited accuracy, and costs of having serial MRI segmented and analyzed make standing neuroradiological interpretations difficult to standardize. This software offers a new ability to resolve much of these issues, including taking manual (human) interpretation out of potential bias or different interpreters, and offers volumetric and lesional changes over time in serial studies. This paper introduces the functions and values of use of sophisticated software analytics in the evaluation and management of this ongoing disease process.


How to cite this article:
Alexander RW. Use of PIXYL software analysis of brain MRI (with & without contrast) as valuable metric in clinical trial tracking in study of multiple sclerosis (MS) and related neurodegenerative processes.Clin Trials Degener Dis 2017;2:1-6


How to cite this URL:
Alexander RW. Use of PIXYL software analysis of brain MRI (with & without contrast) as valuable metric in clinical trial tracking in study of multiple sclerosis (MS) and related neurodegenerative processes. Clin Trials Degener Dis [serial online] 2017 [cited 2024 Mar 28 ];2:1-6
Available from: https://www.clinicaltdd.com/article.asp?issn=2542-3975;year=2017;volume=2;issue=1;spage=1;epage=6;aulast=Alexander;type=0