What are the tests to see if you have multiple sclerosis?

Answer 1

There is no blood work test available to definitively diagnose Multiple Sclerosis. Blood work is collected during the diagnosis process to rule out 'mimics' to Multiple Sclerosis, that can be detected through blood work. This is an important part of the diagnosis process, as an MS diagnosis is a process of exclusion.

Upon receiving a diagnosis for Multiple Sclerosis, if one chooses a therapy treatment, regular blood work may be required as part of the treatment to monitor changes to the body (such as the liver).

Answer 2

So far in my research I have come across several mentions of a possible blood test for MS. But there seems to be no follow up to any of the articles. The earliest mention of a possible blood test for MS was in The New England Journal of Medicine and was dated June, 24, 1976. Although there are mentions of potential tests through 2005 the most recent mention was March 15, 2005, in a study done at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Further searching on my part has turned up nothing useful on the topic other than no definitive test exists.

Answer 3

Diagnosing multiple sclerosis is anything but easy. There is no specific test for multiple sclerosis and, anyway, it is not even certain that it is only one disease. To an extent, getting an MS diagnosis (dx) is a process of eliminating all other possibilities. Typically, people who have finally been diagnosed with definite MS will have been through several diagnostic stages which I shall try to deal with in this section. This process is often drawn out over months or years. This can be a very unsettling and frightening period for the PwMS - the uncertainty can be very difficult to deal with. Inevitably, I draw heavily on personal experience here - the fears, insecurities and other emotions that I went through may not apply to everyone and I certainly don't intend to shoehorn everyone with MS into my own stereotype (http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/diagnosingms.html). Visit www.jobcomb.com

Answer 4

There is no one "test" that we can run that will definitively tell us whether or not a person has MS. There are indicators that a person could possibly have MS, even probably have MS, but there is no marker that is definitive.

A diagnosis of MS is a diagnosis of exclusion; basically, we exclude all other possible causes of the condition being experienced, and when there are no other possible causes left, it is likely MS.

There are tests which can show indications that a person may have MS:

* MRI. MRI's have gotten more and more capable over the past 10 years, and the powerful 7T machines can detect white matter lesions deep within the brain tissue. There are other possible causes of white matter lesions, but when coupled with MS-like symptoms, the MRI results lend credence to the diagnosis of MS. * Lumbar Puncture: When a person has developed MS, there are certain markers which sometimes appear in their spinal fluid. Again, there are other conditions which cause these markers to appear beyond MS, but this marker would be added to the body of evidence indicating that a person has MS. Beyond the empirical analysis, a neurologist can use some other tests to add to the analysis:

* If the person is experiencing visual symptoms, a visual evoked potential (VEP) test can be administered which would show the speed of signal travel from the eye to the brain. This is an indication that there may be MS scars interfering with the normal transfer of nerve signals. * A full neurological exam could reveal other symptoms which are not related to MS, which could indicate a different possible cause for the condition. A combination of tests, both empirical and observational, as well as differentiation in space (symptoms must affect different body systems) and time (symptoms should be at least 6 months apart), are required for definite diagnosis of MS.

Answer 5

There is a not a test for MS. Ms is also known as multiple sclerosis.

Answer 6

There are multiple imaging tests used to check for multiple sclerosis.

Answer 7

An MRI of the brain.