Sponsored by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine
Release date: February 2007
Expiration date: February 2008
Estimated time to complete activity: 1 hour
This educational program is supported through an educational grant from Biogen IDEC and Elan Pharmaceuticals Inc.
For over 20 years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and guidelines have been developed to enhance its use by physicians caring for these patients. Misconceptions still exist, however, on how heavily clinicians should depend upon MRI findings and when MRI studies are appropriate. And while serial MRI studies may uncover new lesions unaccompanied by clinical relapses – the so-called “hidden burden” of MS disease –new clinical symptoms sometimes exhibit no MRI evidence. This program will address these issues, providing guidance on the use of MRI in MS, for the practicing physician who treats patients with MS.
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of neurologists and physicians involved in the management of patients with multiple sclerosis.
Upon completion of this activity, the participant will be able to:
Lael Stone, MD, graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor's degree in biology and Spanish, and a master's degree in biology. She matriculated at Baylor College of Medicine. After completing medical school she remained at Baylor for a residence in neurology. She then went to the NIH National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke to pursue training in neuroimmunology. She spent six years at the Neuroimmunology Branch (NIB), the first three under an NMSS training grant. She initially studied families with multiple members affected by MS. She continued her work in NIB with Dr. Henry McFarland and Dr. Joseph Frank investigating the use of MRI in natural history studies in MS and in clinical trials. She then moved to the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, where she was involved in patient care and research.
Dr. Stone joined the staff of the Mellen Center for Treatment and Research in MS at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in 1998. She currently divides her time between clinical practice and research. She was the principal investigator on an NMSS grant, which is a collaboration with her NIH colleagues and the Cleveland Clinic designed to examine the prognostic value of MRI in MS and works with other researchers in clinical trials in MS. She is secretary for the board of governors of the CMSC.
Dr. Fox is staff neurologist and medical director at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University and performed neurology residency training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. His research training and experience includes a master's degree in clinical research from Case Western Reserve University, a Potiker Fellowship in multiple sclerosis at the Mellen Center, site principal investigator for many clinical trials, and principal investigator and co-investigator on NIH and National MS Society-funded grants. Dr. Fox is also a member of the Clinical Advisory Committee for the Ohio Buckeye Chapter of the National MS Society and the General Advisory Council for the Cleveland Clinic General Clinical Research Center. His current research interests focus on innovative MRI techniques to evaluate MS treatments and tissue recovery after injury.
Micheal D. Phillips, MD, is the section head for the section of imaging sciences in the division of radiology at the Cleveland Clinic. He is also affiliated with a number of other Cleveland-area medical facilities. After completing his undergraduate studies at Amherst College, Dr. Phillips went on to study medicine and earn his MD from Columbia University. Subsequently, he did a radiology residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a neuroradiology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Phillips serves as a reviewer for several imaging journals, he has authored or co-authored numerous articles and book chapters. He is a practicing clinical neuroradiologist and imaging researcher at the Cleveland Clinic. His research endeavors are primarily centered on functional MR imaging of neurodegenerative processes, particularly multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. The underlying goal of his imaging research is to develop functional metrics to better understand and more directly measure disease progression in neurodegenerative diseases. He has a particular interest in functional imaging of implanted devices such as DBS. He currently has funding from the NIH as well as the state of Ohio to evaluate the efficacy of DBS therapy using functional MRI. Additionally, he has an interest in MRI safety of implanted electoral devices with patents for methods to develop MRI-safe implanted electoral devices.
Physician Continuing Education
Accreditation Statement
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the essential areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) and Healthology. The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation
The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Fee Information
There is no fee for this educational activity.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) assesses conflict of interest with its instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of CME activities. All relevant conflicts of interest that are identified are thoroughly vetted by PIM for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies utilized in this activity, and patient care recommendations. PIM is committed to providing its learners with high-quality CME activities and related materials that promote improvements of quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of a commercial interest.
Dr. Lael Stone (Program Chair) Type of financial relationship: Speaker's bureau for Biogen IDEC and Elan Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Robert J. Fox Type of financial relationship: Consultant fees from Biogen IDEC and Genentech, Inc. Fees for non-CME services (Speaker's bureau) from Biogen IDEC. Contracted research for Biogen IDEC and Genentech, Inc.
Dr. Micheal D. Phillips Type of financial relationship: No financial interest/relationships relating to the topic of this activity.
Thomas Maxwell Mundy, MD (Healthology) No financial interest/relationships relating to the topic of this activity.
Jan Hixon, RN, BSN, MA (PIM) No financial interest/relationships relating to the topic of this activity.
Healthology is owned by NBC Universal, a division of GE. GE Healthcare, a unit of GE, develops and manufactures medical imaging technology.
There are no fees for participating and receiving CME credit for this activity. During the period January 31, 2007, through January 31, 2008, participants must: 1) read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures; 2) study the educational activity; 3) complete the post-test by recording the best answer to each question in the answer key on the evaluation form; and 4) complete the evaluation form.
A statement of credit will be issued only upon receipt of a completed activity evaluation form and a completed post-test with a score of 70 percent or better. Your statement of credit will be mailed to you within three weeks.
Internet
This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM), Healthology Inc., and Biogen IDEC and Elan Pharmaceuticals Inc. do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.
The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of PIM, Healthology Inc., and Biogen IDEC and Elan Pharmaceuticals Inc. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient's conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer's product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.
Produced by Healthology Inc. © 2007
Sponsored by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine
Supported through an educational grant from Biogen IDEC and Elan Pharmaceuticals Inc.