other positive spinal tap conditions?

[candycane]

What other medical conditions show O-Bands & increased igg synthesis in the spinal fluid?

or is this only in MS?

If someone has positive spinal tap, symptoms but no lesions on mri do they have MS?

[ars320]

I know lupus can do it. Probably other inflammatory conditions that can affect the brain, like sarcoidosis and Behcets.

[Redwings]

What other medical conditions show O-Bands & increased igg synthesis in the spinal fluid?

Lyme disease
Neuromyelitis optica (Devic's disease)
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Lupus (SLE)
Sjögren's syndrome
Neurosarcoidosis
Neurosyphilis
HIV
Polyneuropathies including Guillain-Barre syndrome
Epstein-Barr infection
Herpes simplex encephalitis
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Chronic focal encephalitis (Rasmussen encephalitis)
HTLV-1 associated myelopathy
Stroke
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
Central nervous system cancers
and more

or is this only in MS?

No. If that were true, then O-bands would be a simple, definitive diagnostic test for MS. But because no single finding is exclusive to MS, there is no single identifying test for MS. It would sure make diagnosis simple, though.

If someone has positive spinal tap, symptoms but no lesions on mri do they have MS?

Maybe, maybe not. For diagnosis, there are so many other conditions that involve a positive spinal tap and neurological symptoms that some other piece(s) of information must be used to tell them all apart and differentiate MS. Every other condition would have to be ruled out first, and the person would have to have evidence of demyelination over time and space that is consistent with MS. Without all of that, it is still possible that the person has MS, but there is no current way to medically detect it.

[struck-a-nerve]

On the national ms website you will find the McDonald criteria for diagnosing ms. This my be helpful for you.

[SNOOPY]

If someone has positive spinal tap, symptoms but no lesions on mri do they have MS?

As Redwings said, maybe, maybe not.

I was diagnosed with MS a long time ago and my diagnosis was based on a positive Lumbar Puncture/Spinal Tap, symptoms and exam. MRI was clear.

[candycane]

Thank you all for the feedback. Wow, I didn't realize there were so many other considerations.

I am diagnosed, though. c-spine lesions & positive LP.

Was just wondering about all this after reading about the docs "undiagnosing" due to expense of DMDs.

[candycane]

http://www.msworld.org/forum/showthread.php?t=120154

the above thread in case you're interested

[Redwings]

Hi candycane:
That article is NOT about docs "undiagnosing" people due to the expense of DMDs. I'm a little shocked at how many people are misreading that article and saying that is says or implies things it doesn't say or imply at all. The article is very clear that the MS specialists feel that the facts of their cases are explained by other conditions, not MS, and that there are consequences of misdiagnosis.

It's interesting how people squawk about NASA spending $40,000 for a toilet seat, but get outraged if someone suggests that spending $40,000 for medical treatment for a disease a person doesn't even have is a bad idea.

That article is about people like me, who were misdiagnosed, and as a consequence are being deprived of treatment they do need and instead are being given expensive treatments (DMDs) that they don't, which might even be harmful (as they were for me).

How much time and money would you be willing to spend to hold onto an MS misdiagnosis before deciding that the time and money would be better spent on treating the disease your really do have?

So you asked a good question, which can shed some light on how people get misdiagnosed with MS.

[candycane]

Redwings, I'm from the medical reimbursement world (as my occupation) & know that even if this article in particular isn't saying it, there is a strong push by insurance companies to make sure these treatments are appropriate & money isn't being wasted. If they can deny coverage they will. I wouldn't want to see someone who needs the medication go without.

Since I'm not on the clinical end, I am having a hard time figuring out my own case. I had c-spinal lesions (a year ago) that weren't visible on my last MRI. Spinal tap was positive a year ago. That hasn't been repeated. My symptoms are the same & not getting worse. I do believe the meds give me side effects & don't want to suffer any unnecessary harm from them if I truly don't need them. I just don't know what else I could have.