Testing for MS

[bama1924]

I know testing for MS is an exclusionary game.  But with regard to the MRI, what is the best and most accurate way to go?  Open?  Closed?  With contrast?  Thanks!

[HVAC]

A 3 tesla would be ideal but most of us only get 1.5 tesla. The MS protocol and the computer program used are importnat. Oh and if you get a 3 tesla you can't have it compared with a 1.5 tesla they are apples and oranges. I have always had 1.5 t's. Contrast is a must. Even more important is the neurologist. They specialize and you want one who specializes in MS. I had a headache specialist say I definitely did not have MS when her colleagues said I dis have MS. I had to start over with a MS Specialist. I wasted six months.

Alex

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

MRI's are better at showing MS if they are closed 1.5T or 3T and run using MS protocol which has thinner slices, with and without contrast. The MRI's run without contrast will generally still show all the lesions that can be seen but the contrast helps distinguish the old lesions from the new lesions or still demyelinating lesions.

Technically MS is not actually exclusionary, diagnosis is still suppose to be based on the combination of everything ie Symptom type eg Optic Neuritis, foot drop, numbness etc Pattern eg relapsing remitting, slow progression etc, Neurologically abnormal clinical signs eg hyper reflex, clonus, babinski reflex etc and the MS consistent and or suggestive test evidence eg abnormal MRI's, LP, VEP etc but additionally to meet the Mcdonald MS criteria they basically can't have another medical condition that would equally or better account for that persons diagnostic medical evidence.    

Hope that helps :-)

Cheers..........JJ