The central vein sign and paramagnetic rim lesions: biomarkers for an accurate differential diagnosis between multiple sclerosis and migraine

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether the evaluation of the central vein sign (CVS) and paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) using susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can distinguish multiple sclerosis (MS) from migraine. Materials and Methods: In this single-center observational study, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the CVS, determining the proportion of CVS-positive lesions per individual and absolute counts, using thresholds of 3 lesions (select3*) and 6 lesions (select6*), and of PRLs in participants with MS and in those with migraine, from 3.0-T MRI brain scans. Results: The study included 20 participants with MS, 20 with migraine, and 20 included as healthy controls. The proportion of participants with CVS-positive lesions was higher in the MS group than in the migraine group (61.8% vs. 10.4%), and PRLs were observed exclusively in the MS group. The presence of at least one PRL and the select6* criterion demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy within the study sample. Conclusion: The detection of the CVS and of a PRL on 3.0-T MRI scans may serve as a reliable biomarker to differentiate MS from migraine.