Classification of radiologically isolated syndrome and clinically isolated syndrome with machine‐learning techniques

Abstract

Background and purpose The unanticipated detection by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the brain of asymptomatic subjects of white matter lesions suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been named radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS). As the difference between early MS [i.e. clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)] and RIS is the occurrence of a clinical event, it is logical to improve detection of the subclinical form without interfering with MRI as there are radiological diagnostic criteria for that. Our objective was to use machine‐learning classification methods to identify morphometric measures that help to discriminate patients with RIS from those with CIS. Methods We used a multimodal 3‐T MRI approach by combining MRI biomarkers (cortical thickness, cortical and subcortical grey matter volume, and white matter integrity) of a cohort of 17 patients with RIS and 17 patients with CIS for single‐subject level classification. Results The best proposed models to predict the diagnosis of CIS and RIS were based on the Naive Bayes, Bagging and Multilayer Perceptron classifiers using only three features: the left rostral middle frontal gyrus volume and the fractional anisotropy values in the right amygdala and right lingual gyrus. The Naive Bayes obtained the highest accuracy [overall classification, 0.765; area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC), 0.782]. Conclusions A machine‐learning approach applied to multimodal MRI data may differentiate between the earliest clinical expressions of MS (CIS and RIS) with an accuracy of 78%.

Machine Learning Approaches in Study of Multiple Sclerosis Disease Through Magnetic Resonance Images

“…In the last study Mato-Abad et al. ( 52 ) exploited a Naive Bayes classifier in order to distinguish two types of MS patients: Radiologically Isolated Syndrome (RIS) and CIS, and obtained an accuracy of 0.765, based on the morphometric measurements in MRI images.…”

Advanced MRI Techniques: Diagnosis and Follow-Up of Multiple Sclerosis

“…Different phenotypes of MS have been distinguished according to the course of the disease, whether inflammatory or progressive: relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS), secondary progressive MS (SPMS), and primary progressive MS (PPMS) [ 10 ]. Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS), based on their features, can also be considered to be part of a wider MS phenotype classification [ 11 ].…”

Abnormal functional connectivity in radiologically isolated syndrome: A resting-state fMRI study

“…Given its rarity, it is unsurprising that, compared to MS, only some articles have addressed this entity's basic scientific issues using advanced neuroimaging techniques. [2][3][4][5] Although RIS cannot be still included in the MS spectrum, 6 more than half of RIS patients experience their first clinical event within 10 years of the index MRI, indicating that it is much more than a radiological finding. 7 RIS brain damage beyond apparent T2 white matter lesions remains mainly unknown.…”