Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Question 1

What LP finding is most commonly used to suggest a diagnosis of MS (given a correlative clinical picture)?

Answer 1

Oligoclonal bands on electrophoresis

Question 2

Why are oligoclonal bands in LP suggestive of MS (with a fitting clinical picture)?

Answer 2

• Found in 50-60% of patients after first attack
• Found in up to 95% of patients with established disease
• Crucially, they PERSIST indefinitely in MS, unlike other disorders they are present in