A shorter route to an MS diagnosis in Nottingham

Teresa Needham went straight back to work after the scan that helped diagnose her multiple sclerosis. The Stapleford resident told the BBC she had been relieved to avoid a lumbar puncture, which takes fluid through a needle in the lower back.

Nottingham clinicians have added six minutes to a standard MRI scan to look for tiny veins running through brain lesions. This feature helps them distinguish MS from other conditions. Their faster pathway also brings the scan forward, before the first specialist appointment.

A review of 59 patients diagnosed with MS found that those on the new pathway received a diagnosis after an average 2.9 months, compared with 5.6 months under usual care. None in the faster pathway needed a lumbar puncture.

This was a small retrospective review, rather than a randomised trial, and it assessed the whole pathway. It does not mean every patient can avoid the procedure. For Needham, though, the approach meant getting an answer without the needle she had dreaded.

Sources

• BBC News — New test diagnoses MS without needle procedure
• University of Nottingham — The new diagnostic pathway
• Neurology: Clinical Practice — Study abstract and results