Question 1

what is the hoffman or huffman sign? it is a neurology sign to do with ms lesions?

Accepted Answer

Nonspecific: Hoffman's is a finger flick reflex response and may be seen unilaterally after a focal brain lesion.  It has nothing to do with the diagnosis of ms and is merely part of a neurological examination.  Granted some ms pts do show this sign, but in my experience it is of no value in correlating any diagnosis without additional signs.

Question 2

i have a question about ms lesions and when they should or shouldn't light up under gadolinium.

Accepted Answer

MS Lesions: may "light up" if they are acute (new). This is due to the leakiness of the tiny vessels allowing the contrast material to cross into the plaque lesion. After the plaque matures the contrast no longer crosses the "blood brain barrier" Both new and older lesions will produce increased signal on both T2 and FLAIR MRI sequences.

Question 3

would ms lesions still be seen easily on mri even if they are not the thing being looked for and without using contrast?

Accepted Answer

Imaging sensitive: In general with a reasonably current MRI scanner, and a trained neuroradiologist, changes consistent with Multiple Sclerosis can be seen. However, these are not necessarily diagnostic and must be matched with a clinical syndrome.

Question 4

my mri found numerous  periventricular and subcortical lesions, and the impression listed was "extensive ms lesions."  could it be anything but ms?

Accepted Answer

Radiologically : Isolated syndrome is term for your findings, if you have had no prior ms symptoms.  Lesions might be c/w head trauma, migraine, and even drug reaction (methotrexate), lupus, lyme disease, lymphoma.  Likely ms if both older and newer lesions, and also involvement of spinal cord and/or gray matter.  May be useful to get spinal fluid.  Do not worry, this is treatable and controllable if ms.

Question 5

can ms lesions cause constant panic attack symptoms? i have always been anxious but never constantly. could it be caused from a lesion on certain spot

Accepted Answer

Unlikely: That a multiple sclerosis lesion be the cause of a panic attack, best to check with your doctor.

Question 6

will ms lesions in brain show up as well on mri when not having "flare up"?

Accepted Answer

They can: Between MS flares, new brain lesions may develop. However, depending on various factors including location, they may not cause symptoms. These are called subclinical lesions. Refs: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/811594_print , http://www.jwatch.org/na32467/2013/10/04/mri-subclinical-ms-disease-activity-surrogate-clinical , http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10031

Question 7

does ms lesions on the brain come and go?i am getting an mri tomorrow tho i had an acute flare up a month ago

Accepted Answer

Yes: We can see old lesions, but there can be new ones also.  They will likely give you contrast ("dye") and this will help determine if the lesions are active (by seeing if they take up the dye).

Question 8

would an mri of the brain for ms lesions be acceptable without contrast? no were lesions found, however, no contrast was used.

Accepted Answer

It depends.: In the initial evaluation of suspected MRI, contrast is recommended for several reasons, such as the detection of potentially confounding diagnoses(e.g. leptomeningeal processes) that may be invisible on noncontrast MRI, and also for classification/prognostic information if MS is present.  For follow up of known MS, contrast may or may not be necessary depending on the clinical situation.

Question 9

does a ct scan show ms lesions?

Accepted Answer

Yes: But MRI is more sensitive than ct  for early detection of the lesions. Multiple scelerosis is one of the demyelinating diseases. Cervical spine region is one of the earliest area where the disease lesions are localized by MRI nicely. Hence for the initial diagnosis of ms it is always good to order MRI cervical spine in addn. To MRI brain. Once the dz is established plaques(scelerosis)appear in  ct.

Question 10

can ms lesions be just in spinal cord not brain or visa versa? also does ms always show up in spinal fluid?

Accepted Answer

MS lesions...: ...Can be anywhere in the nervous system, and do not have to show up as changes in the cerebrospinal fluid. The clinical course (stepwise deterioration with slow recovery between episodes) is t he hallmark of ms.

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Doctor answers about:

Ms lesions

A member asked:

What is the hoffman or huffman sign? it is a neurology sign to do with ms lesions?

A member asked:

I have a question about ms lesions and when they should or shouldn't light up under gadolinium.

A member asked:

Would ms lesions still be seen easily on mri even if they are not the thing being looked for and without using contrast?

A member asked:

My mri found numerous periventricular and subcortical lesions, and the impression listed was "extensive ms lesions." could it be anything but ms?

A member asked:

Can ms lesions cause constant panic attack symptoms? i have always been anxious but never constantly. could it be caused from a lesion on certain spot

A member asked:

Will ms lesions in brain show up as well on mri when not having "flare up"?

A member asked:

Does ms lesions on the brain come and go?i am getting an mri tomorrow tho i had an acute flare up a month ago

A member asked:

Would an mri of the brain for ms lesions be acceptable without contrast? no were lesions found, however, no contrast was used.

A member asked:

Does a ct scan show ms lesions?

A member asked:

Can ms lesions be just in spinal cord not brain or visa versa? also does ms always show up in spinal fluid?

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