The Role of MRI in Differentiation between Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromylitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

ultiple Sclerosis (MS) and Neuromyelitis Optica spectrum disorder (NMO) are demyelinating inflammatory disorders that affect the CNS. Our study highlighted the role of conventional MRI differentiating MS from NMOSD. In brain MRI studies, MS patients typically had more lesions than NMOSD patients. Brain lesions in MS patients tend to show more perpendicular pattern, while NMOSD patient tend to have more linear ependymal symmetrical periventricular lesions. In contrast, in spinal cord studies NMOSD patients showed longer and transversely extensive lesions, whereas MS patients showed shorter and less extensive lesions. Optic nerve lesions in patients of NMOSD were more evident than MS patients denoted by the swelling and enhancement of optic nerve in orbital studies. In conclusion, visually detailed analysis of the lesions in MS and NMOSD patients showed imaging differences between MS and NMOSD in number and pattern of brain lesions, longitudinal and transverse extent of spinal cord lesions and enhancement and swelling of optic nerve lesions. These observations may have clinical implications.