<< SOrry, forgot who wrote that and accidentally deleted the mail.
I was told that the spinal tap really is no longer necessary for MS diagnosis
because of the MRI. I have only 1 lesion but was told that if another were
detected I would then be diagnosed with MS vs TM. I did have a spinal tap
which was positive for MS as far as my first neurologist was concerned but he
was "fired" by me for many things he did/said that my 2nd neurologist and now
my 3rd have disagreed with.
>>
The MRI is not definative in many instances. For example, I had multiple
lesions in my brain on MRI, but it could have also been brain vasculitis.
(Believe me, I would rather have MS than brain vasculitits!) Anyway, they
could have tested me for brain vasculitis by either doing an angiogram or a
brain biopsy. The idea of either one scared me to death. So I had the spinal
tap and it was borderline for MS but not consistant with vasculitis. Yeah!
So the MRI, combined with the spinal tap and my symptoms led to my diagnosis
of MS.
So, what I have found out is that there is more than one thing that looks like
brain lesions on an MRI.
Sharon M. (from Arizona)