title: Non-clinical tests for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Liquoral, Neurophysiological and Nuclear Imaging data were investigated in 29 patients suffering from Definite (11 cases), Probable (11 cases) and Possible (7 cases) Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The most sensitive tests were: Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs), altered in 75% of patients, Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs), abnormal in 75%, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in 72.4%. Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SEPs) were altered in 69.2% in PN-SEPs and in 53.6% in MN-SEPs, whilst Brainstem Evoked Potentials (BAEPs) were altered in 30.8% of cases. The results suggest that patients with suspected forms of MS should be submitted, as routine diagnostic protocol, to a battery of EPs, including as a first choice VEPs, MEPs and PN-SEPs. MRI should be performed to confirm a diagnosis not supported by EP data, or for a comprehensive localization of the demyelinating plaques.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007159:Immunologic Tests; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology