I’m not an expert but I can pass along some of the stuff I’ve learned since I’ve been diagnosed with MS and became a member of this community. Sarah is right - a lot of this information is contained in our Health Pages. You can look over the many topics available at
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=36
The HPs aren’t usually too technical. Most are written and offered with the intention of helping regular people who are either in the diagnostic process or living life with MS. Some are even funny. All are helpful.
First off…… I HATE it when anyone is given test results but no information to know what they mean. What’s the point? It tends to create needless worry while explaining nothing. If you have the results then the doc should have them as well. If he can’t schedule an appointment to SEE you in the office then he should have a qualified staff member CALL you with some kind of explanation of the results. I believe I’d be calling THEM if I were you. (Sorry for the caps. I have no problem with you - just strong feelings about the subject itself.)
So here’s what I can offer.
An elevated IgG index is one of the findings docs look for when considering a diagnosis of MS. Oligoclonal bands (or o-bands) are evidence an inflammatory process has occurred. If the bands reported to be in your CSF were unique (that is, not also present in a serum sample that was submitted with the CSF) they lend weight toward a MS diagnosis. I have read that an elevated IgG index paired with a number of unique CSF o-bands is considered especially strong evidence of MS.
I believe aquaporin 4 antibodies are tested to help rule out the possibility of NMO (neuromyelitis optica). It’s a demyelinating disease of the CNS that can look a lot like MS but isn’t MS. From what you posted, your result is negative. That would be a good thing.
I think the CSF ACE is another test that helps rule out disease processes that could be causing MS like symptoms - maybe neurosarcoidosis? From your posting it looks like this result is also negative. That would be another good thing.
It isn’t unusual to have a few white cells and a stray red blood cell in the CSF sample.
I’m not familiar with how glucose is reported in the UK. I do know that CSF glucose usually falls within a certain percentage of what the serum glucose is. If I remember right CSF glucose should be about 2/3 of the serum glucose. That seems true with your posted result. Regardless of my accuracy on this, you didn’t post anything that indicated either result was abnormal.
I hope none of this increases your anxiety. I suspect you already have some suspicions yourself and that’s why I haven’t held back what I see in your posted results.
Just keep in mind that none of us are seeing the total picture of You and that is what any diagnosis is based on. What I shared here and what your consultant says could certainly be two very different things. We are PwMS sharing our experience and accumulated knowledge with each other. No experts reside here (and even if they did, they don’t have all the answers either).
I do hope your appointment isn’t too far in the future. I’m sure you’re ready for answers instead of more waiting. In the mean time, please stick around and feel free to ask more questions or join in any discussion. If you feel comfortable we would love to hear more about your journey thus far. And please - once you’ve been to your appointment, come back to this and let us all know what you find out. It’s one way we all learn.