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Visit our dedicated CCSVI and MS Research webpage:

MS-CCSVI

Recent update and FAQs

Update on CCSVI March 2010

Important information regarding the CCSVI (chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency) hypothesis and treatment:

Recently, the Government of Canada announced that they have allocated funding to support a treatment study of CCSVI. At this time there are no details on the funding available, guidelines or timelines but when this information is available we shall move forward with our application for funding to conduct a treatment study.

The idea that excessive brain iron, blocked veins and multiple sclerosis (MS) are related has been around for decades. In Italy, the vascular surgeon Dr. Paolo Zamboni examines the blood vessels of people with MS and surgically dilates blocked veins. Many of the people who have undergone Dr. Zamboni's procedure claim to be symptom free. Is this the cure for MS?

Dr. Zamboni refers to two advanced MRI techniques as key methods in the diagnosis of CCSVI and as a basis for his procedure. The first MRI technique is susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), which, in Zamboni’s own words, is “absolutely promising” for the imaging of iron in the human brain, and “is capable of depicting the morphology of cerebral veins”. The second method is 4D MRI angiography, also called 4D TRAK, which provides detailed images of the veins in the head and neck. Dr. Zamboni's findings are intriguing and his use of advanced MRI is valid, but very careful and independent research is required in order to draw any sound conclusions.

Over the past few months the UBC MRI Research Centre has been conducting a study aimed at learning how CCSVI, brain iron and MS are related. Dr. Alex Rauscher from our centre is a world leader in examining brain iron using SWI, and has been involved in the development and improvement of this technique since its infancy. Furthermore, as 4D-TRAK was developed by the manufacturer of our MRI scanner, the UBC MRI Research Centre is the only site worldwide which can offer both advanced SWI and 4D TRAK at the same location.

Given our expertise and resources we are in a unique position to be at the forefront of CCSVI research, however, in order to move forward, the MRI scanner requires a crucial upgrade to enable imaging of veins from the neck down. The current events have accelerated research activities to a degree that an immediate upgrade of the UBC MRI Research Centre's MRI system has become a pressing issue. We are therefore searching for funding from companies or individuals who are willing and in a position to support this important research. For more information please contact us at UBC MRI Research Centre

To make an online donation, please visit this page.

To inquire about giving opportunities for MS research, please contact:

Fatima Hassam

Associate Director, Development

UBC Faculty of Medicine

604.822.8079

fatima.hassam@ubc.ca

The MRI Research Centre is planning an ongoing seminar series.

Watch this space for updates!

Archived News

Events Diary

Click the links to see related Photo Gallery albums!

	April 2008		This annual event held on 15th april 2008 was again a great success. This year's focus was on networking and two long discussion periods were scheduled. The staff of the Imaging Centre received valuable feedback. To this end the following initiatives are now in place: Booking availability calendar - this for users to see the space availability to help them in trying to plan and schedule their subjects. Once you find slot that might work for you, phone or email the technologists to organize a booking. Users shortlist notification - this feature allows the user who needs to cancel a booking with less than 5 business days notice, to find another researcher to take the spot and thus he or she does not have to pay for time not used. Briefly, if you find you no longer need your spot, phone or email the technologists who will then send out an email to identified users on the Short List and if they can use the time, will let the technolopgists know.
	April 2007		MRI Research Centre Users Retreat: This event, held on 19th March 2007 was a huge success and was very well attended by 68 of our users. The focus of the meeting was to create a stronger MR research community at UBC so that all users might gain from each others experience and we hope we achieved this. The fMRI users are in the process of setting up a forum on our website as a result. The day was full with over 20 talks from different users from both sites. We were also treated to very interesting talks from our three invited speakers, Don Plewes from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Christian Beaulieu from the In vivo NMR Centre, University of Alberta and Jeff Dunn, Canadian Research Chair, Radiology, University of Calgary. The day ended with feedback from the users and a reception and dinner, looking out onto the beautiful backdrop of Vancouver. This is definitely the first of an annual event!
	January 2006		Major upgrade to Philips 3T scanner
	February 2004		The 3T scanner is ready for business! The 3T MRI suite is looking very good thanks to a lot of effort by Corree and Trudy.
	November 2003		Body coil Installation and implementation of SENSE technology
	June 2003		The Scanner is operational as of May 27. One week was spent with a Philips MR Applications expert and a couple of weeks have been spent on scanner acceptance testing. At this point, we are a head MRI only site.
	May 2003		Target date for completion of magnet installation and handover to the Hospital. The magnet is installed in a shielded room. After shrinkwrapping the magnet, the room was finished and painted bright yellow...
	March 2003		The 3T magnet was delivered onsite and on schedule. A crane was used to transfer the bare magnet (no gradient or rf coils) from the flat deck transport to just outside the MRI scan room.

Find out how to book a session or initiate an MR study.

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