Radiologically isolated syndrome in the spectrum of multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) currently represents the earliest detectable preclinical phase of multiple sclerosis (MS). Remarkable advancements have been recently made, including the identification of risk factors for disease evolution, revisions to the existing 2009 RIS criteria, and our understanding of the impact of early disease-modifying therapy use in the prevention/delay of symptomatic MS from two randomized clinical trials. Here, we discuss RIS in the context of the spectrum of MS, implications in the clinical management of individuals, and provide insights into future opportunities and challenges given the anticipated inclusion of asymptomatic MS in the formal definition of MS.