How does a MRI of the brain and spine support a diagnosis of MS?
MRI can visualize the characteristic randomly distributed sclerotic lesions in the central nervous system (brain and spine) that come and partially resolve over time in MS. Small lesions can be seen, but some very small lesions may be too small to see with the naked eye or MRI. For technical details of where in the CNS the lesions are likely to be found and what they look like, scroll down to the MRI section at http://www.emedicine.com/RADIO/topic461.… The something else for diagnosis in addition to the MRI is a typical history of migratory neurologic deficits and a lumbar puncture to obtain spinal fluid for oligoclonal banding, which is a lab test done on the fluid.
