Multiple Sclerosis Misdiagnosis: Current Trends

A multicenter study identifies patterns of misdiagnosed cases.

The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is clinical and relies on expert neurological evaluation, accurate interpretation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and targeted exclusion of other potential causes. Now, four academic MS centers provide pooled data on MS misdiagnosis, defined as a firm diagnosis of MS from another physician for a patient subsequently given an alternate revised diagnosis (presumed to be correct) after evaluation in an MS specialty center.

Of 110 patients misdiagnosed with MS, 70% had received MS immunomodulatory therapy and 4% had enrolled in MS clinical treatment trials. One quarter of MS misdiagnoses were made by neurologists with MS-focused practices. The most common alternate diagnoses were migraine (2…

Reviewing Author

Jeffrey M. Gelfand, MD

Disclosures

12/1/14I recently attended a trial investigator meeting as a sub-investigator for a clinical trial sponsored by Medimmune.

Jeffrey M. Gelfand, MD

Disclosures

12/1/14I recently attended a trial investigator meeting as a sub-investigator for a clinical trial sponsored by Medimmune.

Multiple Sclerosis Misdiagnosis: Current Trends

Topics

Reviewing Author