Why is ms so difficult to diagnose?

Vague symptoms: Ms usually presents with numbness that comes and goes and seems to move around. Short of changes on MRI or an abnormal spinal tap, it can be very hard to pin down.

Maybe not so : No two ms patients are alike. Early on, symptoms can be tough to objectify, and many pts are labeled as having psychological or stress problems. The MRI films may be misread or misinterpreted, and some pts have normal brain mri's but the spots are in the cervical spinal cord, instead. Neurological consults may be delayed due to need for insurance authorization, which is often a huge hurdle.

Diagnosing MS: MS can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms vary from person to person. The criteria for MS diagnosis are clear though, based on long-lasting clinical deficits, brain and spinal cord MRI and spinal tap testing.