Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and multiple sclerosis: science or science fiction?
- 1Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, USA
- 2MR Image Analysis Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, USA
- Correspondence to Dr O Khan, Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 St Antoine 8D-UHC, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; okhan{at}med.wayne.edu
- Received 3 October 2010
- Accepted 4 October 2010
In 2009, this journal published a manuscript by Zamboni et al that proposed a major paradigm shift in the pathophysiology and consequently the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).1 Using extracranial colour Doppler and transcranial colour coded Doppler sonography, Zamboni et al reported 100% of their MS patients and none of the healthy controls having impaired venous drainage from the CNS that fulfilled specific criteria for abnormal extracranial venous return, also proposed by Singh and Zamboni.2 This extracranial colour Doppler and transcranial colour coded Doppler sonography based phenomenon was described as chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). The pathological consequences of CCSVI have been hypothesised to emanate from chronic venous reflux and hypertension leading to increased iron deposition in the brain and subsequent MS pathology, including inflammation and neurodegeneration.1 Since the initial publication in this journal, the debate on CCSVI and its relevance to MS …
