Incidental MRI lesions suggestive of multiple sclerosis in asymptomatic patients in Karachi, Pakistan

Document Type

Report

Department

Medicine; Neurology; Radiology

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify asymptomatic patients with brain MRI lesions suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a low-prevalence area of Pakistan. Brain MRIs for 864 patients were reviewed at the Aga Khan University (Karachi, Pakistan) during an 8-month period of 2006 and 2007 to identify patients with lesions suggestive of MS. The lesions were characterised based on modified Barkhof criteria. Six (two females) (0.7%) of 864 patients fulfilled brain MRI criteria suggestive of MS. The mean number of MRI lesions (total lesions on T2) were 9 (range 5–14). Although Pakistan is considered a low-prevalence area for MS, 0.7% of brain MRI scans in patients without clinical MS symptoms showed lesions fulfilling brain MRI criteria of MS.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Pyschiatry

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