title: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, transverse myelitis, and neuromyelitis optica.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This review defines current clinical criteria for diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and clinical evaluation of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, transverse myelitis, and neuromyelitis optica, and summarizes principles of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consensus criteria for transverse myelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis have been proposed. A specific biomarker, aquaporin-4 autoantibody, has been discovered for neuromyelitis optica that allows for early and accurate diagnosis even in the absence of cardinal findings of optic neuritis and myelitis. The antibody is pathogenic and is facilitating an understanding of the pathophysiology of neuromyelitis optica and development of antigen-specific treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical and radiologic findings combined with serologic findings may permit classification of syndromes of transverse myelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in ways that may predict risk of relapse, type of relapse, and prognosis. Treatment, especially to prevent relapse, is dependent on the specific disease context in which syndromes such as transverse myelitis occur.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. weinb@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Dean M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wingerchuk
authors.forename: Brian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Weinshenker
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004673:Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000906:Antibodies; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018697:Nootropic Agents