RC2NB researcher Dr Rosa Cortese leads the first international consensus on how to use MRI in two rare antibody-mediated diseases of the central nervous system.
Basel, 29 September 2026. The MAGNIMS Study Group (Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis) has published its first consensus recommendations on the use of MRI in aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4+ NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). The Expert Recommendation appeared in Nature Reviews Neurology on 28 September 2026.
NMOSD and MOGAD are rare inflammatory disorders of the brain, optic nerve and spinal cord. Each has its own immune mechanism, clinical course and imaging profile. MRI is central to diagnosis, monitoring and treatment decisions, yet the two diseases share imaging features, their lesions evolve in different ways, and there are no standardized scanning protocols.
The recommendations give clinicians practical guidance on:
- the characteristic MRI findings of each disease, and how to interpret the features they share
- a standardized core MRI protocol, with optional additional sequences
- the timing of MRI at each phase of the disease, from acute attacks to recovery
- how MRI helps distinguish a true relapse from a pseudo-relapse
- the added value of advanced MRI techniques, and the open questions around seronegative NMOSD
"These are the first MAGNIMS recommendations dedicated to NMOSD and MOGAD," says first author Dr Rosa Cortese, neurologist and senior researcher at RC2NB. "We hope they help clinicians reach an earlier and more accurate diagnosis for patients with these rare conditions."
The work is the result of a large international collaboration within the MAGNIMS network, bringing together 22 experts, including Prof. Cristina Granziera of RC2NB and the University Hospital Basel.
RC2NB congratulates Rosa Cortese and all co-authors on this milestone.
REFERENCE
Cortese R, Hacohen Y, Arrambide G, et al., on behalf of the MAGNIMS Study Group. Use of MRI in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease: MAGNIMS consensus recommendations. Nature Reviews Neurology (2026). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41582-026-01271-2
RC2NB graphic announcing the first MAGNIMS recommendations on MRI in NMOSD and MOGAD, published in Nature Reviews Neurology.
