title: How to diagnose multiple system atrophy.
abstract: The diagnosis of multiple system atrophy (MSA) in life remains entirely clinical. Consensus diagnostic criteria have been developed, but their use does not particularly render a diagnosis of MSA more accurate than are clinicians' diagnoses. Some patients may not fulfill the stipulated core diagnostic criteria, yet display many so-called red flags pointing toward MSA. The additional usefulness of these red flags and of a variety of investigations currently is being investigated, with a view to some of them being incorporated in future sets of diagnostic criteria.
authors.affiliation: Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
authors.forename: Niall P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005621:Friedreich Ataxia / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D016631:Lewy Bodies / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D017286:Polysomnography; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011187:Posture; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000175:diagnosis; D013132:Spinocerebellar Degenerations / Q000175:diagnosis; D013494:Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive / Q000175:diagnosis; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology