MRI brain volume changes in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon beta-1a

The aim of this study was to investigate changes of brain volume as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) patients under treatment with interferon beta-1a. Moreover, the relationship between brain volume changes and standard MR or clinical outcome variables was determined. After a 6-month pretreatment period, 52 patients with relapsing-remitting MS were assigned to receive interferon beta-1a (Rebif-Serono) during a 24-month treatment period MRI scans were performed monthly during the 6-month pretreatment period and for the first 9 months of the treatment period. A final MRI scan was also performed at the end of the 12- and 24-month treatment period. Over 24 months of IFNbeta-1a treatment, a significant decrease of hyperintense lesion volume was found (-18.0%; p