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Incidental MRI lesions suggestive of multiple sclerosis in asymptomatic patients in Karachi, Pakistan
  1. M Wasay1,
  2. F Rizvi2,
  3. M Azeemuddin2,
  4. A Yousuf1,
  5. S Fredrikson3
  1. 1Department of Neurology, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  2. 2Radiology, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  3. 3Department of Neurology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
  1. Correspondence to Mohammad Wasay, Department of Medicine/Neurology, The Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, Karachi 74800, Pakistan; mohammad.wasay{at}aku.edu

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.

  • MRI
  • multiple sclerosis

https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2009.180000

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    Footnotes

    • Funding The study was supported by Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University.

    • Competing interests None.

    • Ethics approval This study was conducted with the approval of the Aga Khan University.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.