International Panel Revises “McDonald Criteria” for Diagnosing MS

Stuart SchlossmanMS Research Study and Reports, Multiple Sclerosis, National MS Society Related

Mar 09, 2011

An international panel has revised and simplified the “McDonald Criteria” commonly used to diagnose multiple sclerosis, incorporating new data that should speed the diagnosis without compromising accuracy. The International Panel on Diagnosis of MS, organized and supported by the National MS Society and the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, was chaired by Chris H. Polman, MD, PhD (Free University of Amsterdam). Full details are available in the free-access paper published in the February 2011 issue of Annals of Neurology (Ann Neurol 2011;69:292-302).
“Treating MS early and effectively is likely our best way to prevent permanent damage to the nervous system, so speeding the diagnosis of MS without compromising accuracy is a key goal,” stated National MS Society Chief Medical Officer Aaron Miller, MD, Professor of Neurology and Medical Director of the MS Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “These updated diagnostic criteria appear to achieve this goal.”
The National MS Society is developing materials to help neurologists understand and apply the 2010 revised diagnostic criteria in practice. These include plans to produce pocket cards summarizing the new criteria. (These will be available from the National MS Society’s Professional Resource Center in coming weeks.) Download a Tipsheet (.pdf) for neurologists that summarizes the new criteria.

>> Read more – directly from The National MS Society


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