diagnosis

In a previous column, I wrote about the journey to my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). In it, I mentioned that the neurologist had praised me for “taking this well.” I suppose I did — at first. When I eliminated the other possibilities, I was left with an…

Photo courtesy of Lindsey Holcomb Day 24 of 31 This is Lindsey Holcomb’s story: My daughters were both preschoolers when I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). It took well over a decade to find an answer to the myriad symptoms that had come and…

MRI scans of the brain acquired early on after the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) may help predict disease severity and disability accumulation after 10 years, a new study found. In particular, there were two MRI biomarkers — inter-caudate diameter (ICD) and third ventricular width (TVW) — detected…

Predicting whether an asymptomatic child or adolescent with signs of demyelination on imaging scans will develop multiple sclerosis (MS) is difficult using adult diagnostic criteria, a small study found. The findings highlight the need for more suitable criteria for pediatric patients, which could let them begin treatment…

Photo courtesy of Robert Munns Day 17 of 31 This is Robert Munns’ story: Hello! My name is Robert and I have multiple sclerosis (MS). I was diagnosed in 2008 and spent the next few years not really committing to life. I sometimes say that MS used…

Photo courtesy of Scarlett Ward Day 16 of 31 This is Scarlett Ward‘s story: My name is Scarlett Ward, and I’m 29 years old. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) when I was 27, after a particularly nasty relapse left me in the hospital,…

Chloe Murphy fought for years to understand the cause of her physical and mental struggles. (Courtesy of Chloe Murphy) Day 15 of 31 This is Chloe Murphy‘s story: I am 27, from Cork, Ireland. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in April 2021, but truly…

Photo courtesy of Kerry Walkins Day 13 of 31 This is Kerry Walkins‘ story: At 36, I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Looking back now, I realize I had symptoms for a few years before that. In early 2021, I began to…

Photo courtesy of Julie Wigley Day 11 of 31 This is Julie Wigley‘s story: In 2010, I started having numbness in my legs, specifically when I’d look down. I didn’t think much of it, but mentioned it to my primary care doctor during a…

A little over three years passed between my multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and my medical retirement from the U.S. Army. Even before the diagnosis, I knew something was wrong and had taken a desk job while searching for the reason. Since I was behind a desk in a…

Natalie Busari was diagnosed with MS soon after giving birth to her second child. (Photo courtesy of Natalie Busari) Day 1 of 31 This is Natalie Busari’s story: Hi there! My name is Natalie Busari and I live in South London. OK, enough of the small talk. You must…

A portable MRI device may be used to detect brain lesions that are indicative of multiple sclerosis (MS), and serve as a low-cost imaging tool that can be brought to patients for testing, according to a new analysis. While the system is not yet accurate enough to be used…

The startup company Predicta Med has received an investment from CerraCap Ventures to advance its leading platform focused on early diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other immune-related diseases. The Israel-based startup has created the world’s first platform designed to use medical information to determine…

Researchers have developed a set of criteria to diagnose optic neuritis (ON) — inflammation in the nerve fibers sending signals to and from the eye — and identify whether it is caused by multiple sclerosis (MS) or other conditions. The criteria, developed by an international group of specialists,…

The tiny sacs of cellular content that are released by oligodendrocytes — the myelin-producing cells of the brain and spinal cord — may be good biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a new study has found. The research showed that levels of myelin basic…

Quanterix Corporation‘s laboratory test designed to measure blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been validated by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), an arm of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that regulates laboratory testing. The company now is planning to launch its laboratory developed test,…

The European Investment Bank has entered a financial agreement with Numares Health to support further development of a fully automated platform to improve the diagnosis of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The loan of up to €20 million (about $21 million) is expected to advance the…

Levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a biomarker of nerve cell damage, may help predict multiple sclerosis (MS) prognosis and response to treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod), according to a review of five randomized clinical trials. Most of the evaluations in the review study were qualitative, however, meaning trial…

What’s in a name? Does it really matter if your multiple sclerosis (MS) is called relapsing or progressive, or secondary rather than primary? I’ve never thought so, and the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in MS agrees with me. The panel is calling for…

In a new collaboration, Brainomix will distribute in Europe a software solution developed by Pixyl that uses deep learning to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple sclerosis (MS) via MRI scans. According to the partners, Pixyl‘s technology can detect abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging or MRI…

Individuals with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) have significantly higher concentrations of specific inflammation biomarkers in their spinal fluid than healthy people, an exploratory study shows. For most biomarkers, levels in PPMS patients were comparable to or lower than those seen in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

An international panel is calling for new methods to classify multiple sclerosis (MS) that reflect the disease’s underlying biology, rather than differences in clinical presentation. The approach would fundamentally change how patients, clinicians, and other stakeholders understand and describe the disease, but would enable the development of biologically based…

Using a new approach to track signals traveling between different brain regions, researchers found that these signals are slower in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), even in regions with no apparent disease-related damage, a new study reports. The approach may help complement MRI findings to determine the extent of…

Insurer Fountain Health now will fully cover Combinostics’ artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools to support the early detection, differential diagnosis, and prediction of progression in patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision to cover the company’s cloud-based AI platforms, cMRI and cDSI,…

In the years after a diagnosis of clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) — a first episode of neurological symptoms suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) — the odds of maintaining employment progressively decrease, according to a recent study. The risk of decreasing or losing employment was particularly high among individuals…

A new tool that analyzes gait, or walking patterns, of people on a treadmill — using video recordings from a simple digital camera — is able to accurately identify those with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study showed. Scientists said the gait-analysis tool may be a low-cost and easy-to-use way…

There are moments in life that have surprising effects on us. I’ve had two. The first was when I was about 9, and my mother informed me that my headmaster had been told I’d disappeared after school. Fair enough in hindsight. I presume she’d phoned the police as well, but…

A novel tracer designed to detect myelin loss in PET scans — imaging tests that use a radioactive substance, called a tracer, to look for disease in the body — showed a good safety profile in a small first-in-human study. Scientists say this new tracer could potentially help in evaluating…

Combining blood and imaging biomarkers might help clinicians better predict cognitive impairment in people with early multiple sclerosis (MS) than using either one alone, a new study suggests. Researchers found that using the two together worked better to predict information processing speed than did either blood or MRI biomarkers…

Epstein-Barr Virus and MS Risk: New Link to Mono Found in Study Add this study to the mounting evidence that there’s some type of association between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) — the virus associated with mononucleosis — and multiple sclerosis. I’ve never had mono, but several people with…