Can you have MS and have a clear brain MRI?

MS can be present even with a normal MRI and spinal fluid test although it’s uncommon to have a completely normal MRI. Sometimes the MRI of the brain may be normal, but the MRI of the spinal cord may be abnormal and consistent with MS, so this also needs to be considered.

Can MRI of brain detect MS?

Articles On Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis Widespread use of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) has revolutionized the ability to diagnose multiple sclerosis. Disease-related changes in the brain or spinal cord are detected by MRI in more than 90% of people suspected of having MS.

How accurate is brain MRI for MS?

Results: Magnetic resonance imaging of the head was considerably more accurate than CT in diagnosing MS. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for MS was 0.82 (compared with 0.52 for CT) indicating that MRI was a good but not definitively accurate test for MS.

Do lesions always show up on MRI with MS?

MRIs are not a 100 percent positive in the diagnosis of MS. In 5 percent of the people showing clinical MS disease activity, lesions were not visible on the MRI. However, if follow-up MRI studies continue to show no lesions, the MS diagnosis should be reconsidered.

How are MRIs used to diagnose MS?

MRI is a highly sensitive and specific imaging test for MS. MRI is used to detect the scarring or sclerosis caused by MS in the central nervous system. MRI is superior to CT scan in identifying areas of damage and white matter lesions with added advantage of zero radiation.

Can a MRI be negative for multiple sclerosis?

This is very sour news for people who wonder if they should feel reassured that their MRI came back negative for multiple sclerosis. These would be people who, due to various symptoms, have developed anxiety over the possibility of having MS.

How long does it take to get an MRI for MS?

MRI was only on my brain. My doctor said he’s not convinced that this is not MS. He is now sending me to a neurologist that specializes in MS. I’m still waiting for a call with an appointment that they said would take 6 to 9 months to get.

Can a MRI of the brain be normal?

Sometimes the MRI of the brain may be normal, but the MRI of the spinal cord may be abnormal and consistent with MS, so this also needs to be considered. Also, the symptoms typically associated with MS can occur with other problems in the brain or even blood.