MS with normal MRI

[CatsandCars]

Gavin Giovanoni at Bart's in the UK writes that it is possible to have MS with a normal MRI. I found this to be pretty surprising, so I thought I would share it. I just hope that you can read it without a subscription.

gavingiovannoni.substack.co...

[Frances_B]

Key word is "possible". I know he's one of the experts, but like all experts he's not going to make categorical statements one way or the other because as an acknowledged world leading expert there will always be someone waiting in the wings to try and prove him wrong - whatever the topic. That's the sad truth about anyone who is a leader in their field. "Possible" is in many ways another way of saying "unlikely".

[Tazmanian]

Everyone's MS is different

[NorasMom]

I'm not surprised at all. I've long been opposed to the McDonald criteria because it doesn't fit a lot of us.

[Writter]

your MR is normal? or is the MR of other 😍person?

[CatsandCars in reply to Writter]

It's not my MRI. The article stated that it was possible in some cases for people with MS to have a normal MRI. I do think this is probably very unusual and does not happen to many people.

[Writter in reply to CatsandCars]

yes, exactly. I have a CD of some of my MR and I never have saw with my neurologist in a coputer

[GreatDanekids]

Interesting info, my sister’s neurologist always said that she had MS yet she had numerous normal MRI’s. This was in 2003 - 2010, he had her start Copaxone and when I was diagnosed in 2008, my neurologist started me on Copaxone even though she didn’t believe my sister had MS. In 2010 my sister had a MRI that showed numerous new lesions. We are blessed with a weird and unconventional disease.

[CatsandCars in reply to GreatDanekids]

I'm sorry that you and your sister both have MS. Theprogression of your sister's condition to MS is interesting, though. The doctor who treated her was pretty bold, but in a good way. Copaxone is pretty safe, so no harm if he/she was wrong, unless she actually had something else. Then there's not being able to buy life insurance, and maybe some emotional burden. Then again, knowing something is wrong but not having a diagnosis is also a burden. Fun stuff!

[GreatDanekids in reply to CatsandCars]

She had been having symptoms since late 1970’s, tested for all kinds of things and given “possible MS” then “probable MS”. It was even harder to get a diagnosis then.

[CatsandCars in reply to GreatDanekids]

My first neurologist twenty-plus years ago told me that they never used to be in a hurry to diagnose MS, because they couldn't do anything for it. Which seems harsh to me. Maybe they could still give steroids for relapses, at least? In any case, it floors me, just like when I hear that they used to think that MS didn't cause pain. I don't understand that at all, as they must have had people coming in all the time saying they were in pain. Did they just tell people it was something else causing all this pain in these people? I guess I should just let it go and be grateful that we have treatments now, and that doctors know a lot more, even if there's still a long way to go.

[GreatDanekids in reply to CatsandCars]

They did think that she was just looking for attention, the doctors were not very kind to her. She had three little boys, all one year apart, all born in August. And her husband bailed because she was always tired or hurting. Thank goodness my parents lived close because she had to work.

[CatsandCars in reply to GreatDanekids]

That's a sad story! I'm glad she was diagnosed and vindicated, though!

[NorasMom in reply to GreatDanekids]

That was me, too. My MRI's were normal for years, but my GP realized that I definitely had neurological problems and just kept sending me to specialists until I finally got acceptable results. That's why I think they need to look for new ways to diagnose us.

[CatsandCars in reply to NorasMom]

Bless your GP! I think you're right on the diagnosis score, and I'm sure that more diagnostic tools are on the horizon.

[GreatDanekids in reply to NorasMom]

Agreed!!’