New T2 lesions enable an earlier diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in clinically isolated syndromes

• Published in: Annals of neurology Vol. 53; no. 5; pp. 673 - 676
• Main Authors: Dalton, Catherine M., Brex, Peter A., Miszkiel, Katherine A., Fernando, Kryshani, MacManus, David G., Plant, Gordon T., Thompson, Alan J., Miller, David H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.05.2003; Willey-Liss
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis - pathology; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Neurology; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity of Illness Index; Human; Nervous system diseases; Multiple sclerosis; Sensitivity; Specificity; Central nervous system disease; Medical imagery; Diagnosis; Technique; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Inflammatory disease
• ISSN: 0364-5134; 1531-8249
• DOI: 10.1002/ana.10580

In clinically isolated syndromes, the new McDonald criteria for multiple sclerosis diagnosis require new gadolinium‐enhancing lesions for dissemination in time at a 3‐month follow‐up magnetic resonance imaging scan. In a cohort of 56 patients, these criteria were specific (95%) but less sensitive (58%) for clinically definite multiple sclerosis at 3 years. If new T2 lesions were allowed as an alternative for dissemination in time, sensitivity increased (74%) with maintained specificity (92%), enabling an accurate diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in more patients. Ann Neurol 2003;53:673–676