MYO-Guide – An online tool for easier diagnosis of neuromuscular conditions

MRI is generally used in diagnosing neuromuscular conditions; however, many different conditions often look similar on the MRI scan. Professor Diaz-Manera and his team have previously developed a computer modelling tool, called MYO-Guide, that can suggest a diagnosis of 10 conditions with high accuracy based on the muscle MRI analysis. This project will be a fantastic international collaboration and will include researchers from across the UK, as well as from Spain, Denmark, Chile, France, Italy, China and Canada.

The main aims of this project are:

1. Improving the current MYO-Guide version, by expanding the number of conditions it can help to diagnose from 10 to 25, including both inheritable and non-heritable neuromuscular conditions.
2. To develop a tool that will be able to identify each muscle, as well as identify and quantify the fat surrounding the muscle. This will make the MRI analysis easier.
3. Both the upgraded MYO-Guide and the new tool will be implemented into the free, online platform called MYO-Share, which is used by clinicians all over the world to diagnose people with neuromuscular conditions.

This research will improve and accelerate the diagnosis of 25 neuromuscular conditions in countries across the world. This will allow for more frequent early diagnoses of progressive neuromuscular conditions, which can often be an important factor when deciding on therapeutic approaches, and lead to more successful management and treatment of the condition.