I have also wondered about the need for MRIs after diagnosis... I mean, there isn't a cure for the disease, not even really an effective treatment for reversing some of the damage yet, so wouldn't an MRI only show the expected progression, or stability of the disease? It just seems like we're still playing lab rats for the drug companies but at our own expense.

Cynical as that is, I'm still going in for a follow-up mri in a few months, but I'm not sure how many I'll agree to after that. Pretty much until they think they can actually do something other than tell me...'hey you're getting worse! Or hey, you haven't gotten worse!' I'll keep my $500.00 thank you.