ECTRIMS is proud to announce its endorsement of the Radiologically Isolated Syndrome Consortium (RISC)
This important international collaborative research network focuses on the study of radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) — an early phase within the central nervous system demyelinating spectrum characterized by individuals who exhibit MRI findings suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) without clinical symptoms. Founded in 2009, RISC is an alliance of individuals and organisations, working together to advance scientific initiatives and accelerate discovery in the presymptomatic phase of multiple sclerosis.
Since 2020, leading members of the Consortium have been coordinating efforts to promote RISC research, an initiative endorsed by the French MS Society (SFSEP), the French MS Network for Research (FCRIN4MS), the French MS Observatory (OFSEP), the European Charcot Foundation (ECF), and ECTRIMS groups. Those members include (in alphabetical order):
- Orhun H. Kantarci, MD (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA)
- Christine Lebrun-Frenay, MD, PhD (Côte d’Azur University, Nice, France)
- Darin T. Okuda, MD (The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA)
- Aksel Siva, MD (Istanbul University Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Istanbul, Türkiye).
RISC purposes and activities
RISC is committed to advancing knowledge of the presymptomatic phase of multiple sclerosis through a series of coordinated scientific and clinical initiatives. The consortium supports education and research aimed at characterising radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) and its prognostic implications. Central to its mission is the development of refined risk stratification models to identify individuals most likely to transition to clinically definite MS, thereby guiding surveillance strategies, informing early therapeutic approaches, and shaping discourse on presymptomatic interventions.
RISC also contributes to the global effort to standardise and update diagnostic criteria for RIS, ensuring consistency and reproducibility across studies. Additional priorities include providing methodological guidance for the design and execution of prevention trials, including vaccine-based strategies, and facilitating the translation of emerging biomarkers into routine clinical application. By leveraging diverse, multicentre cohorts and fostering international collaboration, the consortium generates robust, generalisable insights that strengthen the scientific foundation for early detection and intervention in MS.
RISC also includes the Pediatric RIS (PARIS) Consortium, a subgroup led by Yale’s Makhani Lab, which focuses on children with RIS, exploring genetic, environmental, and serologic predictors.
Download the
List-of-RISC-Investigators-As-of-August-2025.pdf
.
Video with Prof. Christine LeBrun-Frenay: Understanding Radiologically Isolated Syndrome
Key original contributions
Over the past 15 years, RISC has generated a substantial body of evidence that has shaped the current understanding of RIS and its clinical relevance. Key contributions include landmark studies defining the natural history and prognostic predictors of RIS, efforts to refine recognition criteria for individuals at risk, and pivotal clinical trials demonstrating the potential of disease-modifying therapies to delay or prevent conversion to multiple sclerosis.
Selected publications include:
The natural history and prognostic predictors in RIS:
DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.2006.108274
DOI: 10.1001/archneurol.2009.119
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090509
DOI: 10.1002/ana.24564
DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2016.04.004
DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000000395
DOI: 10.1177/1352458519887346
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.28271
DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000200156
DOI: 10.1002/ana.25799
The description to enhance the recognition of individuals at risk for RIS:
DOI: 10.1177/1352458511435931
DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2014.11.007
DOI: 10.1016/j.ncl.2017.08.004
DOI: 10.1177/1352458518767043
DOI: 10.1177/2055217319836664
DOI: 10.1007/s00415-020-10276-w
DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad073
DOI: 10.1016/S1474-4422(23)00281-8
DOI: 10.1177/13524585241245306
DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12289-1
DOI: 10.1177/13524585241272943
DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000000102
DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000200044
DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51986
DOI: 10.1177/13524585241291471
DOI: 10.1093/bjrcr/uaae028
The completion of two successful and positive pivotal clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe, demonstrating the impact of dimethyl fumarate and teriflunomide in delaying or preventing clinical conversion to MS:
DOI: 10.1177/1352458517727149
DOI: 10.1177/1352458512462268
DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.2815
DOI: 10.1002/ana.26555
DOI: 10.1177/13524585231172943
DOI: 10.1007/s40263-024-01117-9