Can You Can Have MS without MRI Lesions?

[Quixotic1]

I know we have covered this before, and I really should spend more time on the National MS Society site, but this is a quote from the NMSS Sourcebook on MRI's.  It says everything so much more succinctly than I do when I'm "winging it."

"Diagnosis
Because MRI is particularly useful in detecting central nervous system demyelination, it is a powerful tool in helping to establish the diagnosis of MS. It should be remembered, however, that approximately 5% of patients with clinically definite MS do not show lesions on MRI, and the absence of demyelination on MRI does not rule out MS. Also, since many lesions seen on MRI may be in so-called "silent" areas of the brain, it is not always possible to make a specific correlation between what is seen on the MRI scan and the patient's clinical signs and symptoms. In addition, with advancing age (probably over age 50), there are often small areas seen on MRI in healthy people that resemble MS but are actually related to the aging process, and are of no clinical significance."

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=HOM_LIB_sourcebook_mri

Guys, not to restate the obvious but this is 1 out of every 20!!!  I'll keep looking, but even my MS Neuro, whom I consider very smart, felt that MS was ruled out by normal MRI's.  I need to understand whether the 5% got diagnosed because they presented so classically - maybe with Optic Neuritis, more than one clear attack, a very positive LP, and a tatoo on their forehead that says, "I have MS!"

Quix

[Ricobord]

Please make sure you get checked out for Lyme Disease by an LLMD, a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor.  You will want to get tested at IGeneX, as many other labs produce way too many false negatives.  Lyme can mimic MS and a negative test does not exclude it, as in my case. You'll want to do this before you take any immune suppressing medications for possible MS, as steroids can make an infection much worse.

[shannon2732]

can i have the number to your neurologist please i have been suffering for yrs and my neuro believes it has to come positive with lesions for you to have MS, i have twitching pins n needlies in legs get very stiff trembling in hands migraines and def shut down before weather changes, it gets so bad i cant get off the couch and am in tears almost everyday

[lissyG]

wow I keep remembering things now. Also having some pain or discomfort
( on my bad foggy days) like behind my eyes, really I think my left eye. I appreciate any suggestions...

[lissyG]

by the way I am 34, Since I didn't mentioned that. Thanks!

[lissyG]

Hello
I am having some problems. I feel like sometimes I can barely get out of bed. Sometimes especially over the last few months by neck pain and discomfort is so bad I can't function. Usually these symptoms come with a headache or migraine.I feel like I am in a fog. sometimes I have random joint pain too. I saw a dr for my neck pain and after a MRI of the cervical spine was told I just had some bulging discs. Then just about 2 months ago I noticed tingling and numbness in the toes, finger tips, face and weakness. I saw my neuro who I see once a year for migraines and she sent me for a brain MRI that she said was normal. Since then the symptoms are still coming on and off but now I have difficulty swallowing. Sorry to be gross, but it feels like I have mucus stuck in my throat but, I'm not sick. Also every so often over the last year I'd get some symptoms consistent with panic attacks. I get the difficulty swallowing followed by headache and weakness but then it goes away within minutes.Mind you I agree with My PCP, I have reasons to have panic attacks and stress if thats it. I mean I work full time at a busy call center in a very stressful job. I also am the mom a a 7 year old autistic boy who is my world and I very beyond involved however this time my symptoms of difficulty swallowing haven't lasted 20 min like what my dr said were most likely panic attacks.This has been non stop for three days. I cant even fall asleep. I feel like I cant breathe from how uncomfortable my throat feels. I really cant help to wonder if all these symptoms are related to each other especially since the numbness and tingling was just one month ago. I really just want to feel good! HELP

[uofmiamikf]

My husband was diagnosed with MS in Jan 2012. It first started with Optic Neuritis w/o lesions in 2009. No diagnosis given b.c no lesions on MRI anywhere. Then 2.5 years later a flareup with numbing in neck and arm with 2 spinal lesions, still no brain lesions. We had two Neruo's (Stanford VA and Michigan VA  (UofM MS Specialist) tell us it is very abnormal to not have lesions on the brain, but were never the less diagnosed after spinal lesions.