Multiple Sclerosis
Would you like to know what lab results mean? DDxHub - Differential Diagnosis Hub helps to understand and explains your blood test.
Multiple Sclerosis |
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Would you like to know what lab results mean? DDxHub - Differential Diagnosis Hub helps to understand and explains your blood test. |
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You have symptoms and blood work results. How do they correlate? What is the health condition? Some disorders have similar signs and laboratory values. DDxHub helps to define a right diagnosis. Run DDxHub now and enter symptoms and test results. |
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All information on this page is intended for your general knowledge only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See Additional Information |
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is defined as an inflammatory demyelinating disease characterized by the presence of episodic neurologic dysfunction in at least 2 areas of the CNS (brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves) separated in time and space. Today there is no one single test that can determine whether or not an individual has multiple sclerosis, and the criteria used to diagnose the condition are often less than perfect. Often, it takes the expertise of a specialist in MS to make a correct diagnosis, and it is estimated that as many as 10% of those with the condition actually have another ailment. An accurate diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is based on your medical history and a neurological exam (an exam of the function of the brain and spinal cord) using various tests. A lot depends on the skill of the doctor in asking the right questions to uncover information and to properly evaluate the signs and symptoms of a malfunctioning brain or spinal cord. A variety of specialized procedures are helpful in accurately diagnosing MS. These include imaging techniques, such as MRI, spinal taps or lumbar punctures (examination of the cerebrospinal fluid that runs through the spinal column), evoked potentials (electrical tests to help determine if MS has affected a person's nerve pathways), and lab analysis of blood samples. Accepted Criteria for a Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis: Multiple sclerosis usually begins between 20 and 50 years of age; Symptoms and signs indicating disease of the brain or spinal cord; Evidence of two or more lesions, or abnormal areas on the brain, from a MRI scan; Objective evidence of disease of the brain or spinal cord on doctor's exam; Two or more episodes lasting at least 24 hours and occurring at least one month apart; No other explanation for the symptoms.
