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MS Diagnosis
MS symptoms can mimic many other health issues.
Computed tomography(CT) scans may also help rule out other neurological conditions and diagnose MS.
However, CT scan images provide less clarity than MRIs.
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MRI equipment produces three-dimensional anatomical images using large, powerful magnets and radiofrequency.
Radio waves are then used to stimulate protons and cause them to pull away from the magnetic field.
Computed Tomography Scan
A CT scan is another throw in of noninvasive diagnostic equipment.
The slices are then digitally stacked to form three-dimensional images of a patient’s anatomy.
Before starting, patients will remove clothing and jewelry and put on medical scrubs or a medical gown.
Patients lie down on a table and are moved into a well-ventilated scanning machine.
Both imaging procedures are painless, and the equipment does not touch the body.
Some patients may feel claustrophobic during imaging, especially during an MRI.
Talk to your healthcare provider about how to manage claustrophobia before your scan.
An MRI uses magnetic fields and radiofrequency to measure water content in the body’s tissues.
Since the myelin that protects nerve cell fibers is fatty, it repels water.
This provides valuable information to healthcare providers about MS diagnosis and the severity of the condition.
It is also possible for an MRI to show lesions on the brain and not the spinal cord.
The reverse is also true.
Spine
Lesions in the spine will also appear as light or dark spots.
The researchers also noted that those with more spinal cord lesions on an MRI experienced more significant physical disability.
A Word From Verywell
Experiencing neurological symptoms can be a frightening experience.
In a typical fatty myelin sheath, the areas hold more water.
This provides valuable information to healthcare providers about MS diagnosis and the severity of the condition.
There is no cure for MS.
They found that people with primary progressive MS had more spinal cord lesions than brain lesions.
The researchers also noted that those with more spinal cord lesions on an MRI experienced more significant physical disability.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) and multiple sclerosis.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnosing multiple sclerosis.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society.How MS is diagnosed.
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.Magnetic resonance imaging.
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.Computed tomography.
2018;90(15 Supplement).
