title: Spinal cord MRI in clinically isolated optic neuritis.
abstract: METHODS
  One hundred and fifteen patients with clinically isolated optic neuritis underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord within 3 months of the onset of symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty one (70%) patients had brain lesions and 31 (27%) had cord lesions. Cord lesions were seen in 12% with a normal brain MRI, 21% with between one and eight brain lesions, and 45% with nine or more brain lesions. When the new diagnostic criteria for MS were applied, MRI cord imaging used for evidence of dissemination in time and space allowed a diagnosis of MS in only one additional asymptomatic patient at 1 year, two additional asymptomatic patients at 3 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using existing criteria, spinal cord imaging rarely contributes to the diagnosis in patients with clinically isolated optic neuritis.
authors: NMR Research Unit, Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
authors: C M
authors: CM
authors: Dalton
authors: P A
authors: PA
authors: Brex
authors: K A
authors: KA
authors: Miszkiel
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Fernando
authors: D G
authors: DG
authors: MacManus
authors: G T
authors: GT
authors: Plant
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Thompson
authors: D H
authors: DH
authors: Miller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*