MS Diagnosis

Making an MS diagnosis can be difficult. Some people have few MS attacks or such mild symptoms that they might not recognize an attack, and the disease goes untreated for a longer period of time. However, recent advances in technology -- MRI scans and blood tests -- are helping doctors confirm an MS diagnosis much earlier than in times past.

 

MS Diagnosis: An Overview

There isn't a specific test available to make an MS diagnosis. (MS is the abbreviation for multiple sclerosis.) In fact, confirming an MS diagnosis is notoriously difficult because the early symptoms of the disease can be vague or mimic other diseases. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis can also come and go, making it even more challenging to make an accurate diagnosis.
 
Because of these factors, some people will receive an MS diagnosis soon after the illness begins, while others will not. In some of these cases, doctors may not be able to readily identify the causes of the patient's symptoms, leading to years of uncertainly and several diagnoses and symptoms that come and go.
 
While challenging in some cases, an MS diagnosis can be made based on the patient's medical history, a neurological exam (which is an examination of how well the brain and spinal cord are functioning), and other tests.
 

Tests Used to Make an MS Diagnosis

Some of the tests used to make an MS diagnosis may include:
 
 
  • Blood tests
  • An MRI
  • A spinal tap
  • An electrical test called "evoked potentials," which tests the function of your sensory nerves.
     
The best test for an MS diagnosis is an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. MRI produces x-ray-like images that are better than other methods for seeing certain areas of the central nervous system. With an MRI, it is possible to see the places where myelin has been damaged. (Myeline is the fatty covering nerve sheaths that helps them conduct impulses more quickly.)
 
If an MS diagnosis is still uncertain after an MRI, your healthcare provider may do a test that measures how fast your nerves conduct impulses. This is called an evoked potentials test.
 
Also, a sample of fluid from your spine may be analyzed for protein changes that are often found in people who have MS. This is called a spinal tap, LP, or lumbar puncture.
 
More than one MRI may be done over time. Several MRIs can show plaques appearing in different areas of the central nervous system at different times. This confirms the MS diagnosis.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD