Spinal Cord Lesions on MRI : Nmo Spectrum Vs MS

Background:  

Both MS and NMO spectrum disorvders present with spinal cord lesions on MRI. Sometimes diagnosis is straitforward, but sometimes it is not easy to tell MS from NMO spectrum disorders on first sight. There are imaging characteristics that may help to differentiate both entities. 

Objectives:

The purposes of this poster are:

To describe the tipical MS spinal cord lesions present on MRI 

To describe tipical NMO spectrum spinal cord lesions on MRI

To review differences between both types of lesions, show also some additional helpful characteristics.

Methods:

This poster reviews the imaging characteristics of spinal cord lesions of MS and NMO spectrum disorders. Typically MS lesions are short  (less than 2 vertebral bodies in lenght), not more extended than one third of the tranversal cord area and peripherical.  Instead NMO spectrum disorder lesions usually are long (more than three vertebral bodies in length), occupy more than half of the tranversal cord area and are more centrally located. There are also other imaging findings that help to tell the difference, as are the bright spot, the expansion of the cord and the type of contrast enhancement. 

We show examples of the different imaging characteristics on MRI T2 , STIR and T1 CE images. We also review some examples of other differential diagnostics that have to be taken into account.

Results:

This poster reviews the imaging characteristics of spinal cord lesions of MS and NMO spectrum disorders. Typically MS lesions are short  (less than 2 vertebral bodies in lenght), not more extended than one third of the tranversal cord area and peripherical.  Instead NMO spectrum disorder lesions usually are long (more than three vertebral bodies in length), occupy more than half of the tranversal cord area and are more centrally located. There are also other imaging findings that help to tell the difference, as are the bright spot, the expansion of the cord and the type of contrast enhancement. 

We show examples of the different imaging characteristics on MRI T2 , STIR and T1 CE images. We also review some examples of other differential diagnostics that have to be taken into account.

Conclusions:

It is very important to recognize the morphology of the tipical MS and NMO spectrum spinal cord lesions in order to tell them appart from each other and similar lesions caused by other diseases, in order to establish a correct diagnostic and allow therefor the adecuate therapeutic approach.