Impact of spinal cord lesions on the diagnosis of MS
| Time | Patient characteristics | No. of patients | 0 brain lesions | 1–8 brain lesions | ⩾9 brain lesions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Patients with brain lesions (cord) | 115 | 34 (4) | 39 (8) | 42 (19) |
| Patients with cord lesions | 115 | 12% | 21% | 45% | |
| Mean (range) cord lesions | 115 | 0.1 (0–1) | 0.4 (0–4) | 1.2 (0–11) | |
| DIS: brain, brain+cord | 115 | 0 | 2(5%), 5(13%) | 39(93%), 39(93%) | |
| 3 months | New brain lesions | 94 | 1/28 (4%) | 8/32 (25%) | 23/34 (68%) |
| McDonald MS (brain only) | 94 | 0/28 | 1/32 (3%) | 17/34(50%) | |
| McDonald MS (brain+ (baseline only) cord) | 94 | 0/28 | 1/32 (3%) | 17/34(50%) | |
| Clinically definite MS | 94 | 0/28 | 0/32 | 9/34 (26%) | |
| 1 year | New brain lesions | 64 | 0/17 | 11/22 (50%) | 18/25 (72%) |
| New cord lesions | 63 | 2/17 | 3/22 (14%) | 6/24 (25%) | |
| New brain or cord lesions | 64 | 2/17 (12%) | 11/22 (50%) | 19/25 (76%) | |
| McDonald MS (brain only) | 64 | 1/17(6%) | 7/22 (32%) | 22/25 (88%) | |
| McDonald MS (brain and cord) | 64 | 1/17(6%) | 8/22 (36%) | 22/25 (88%) | |
| Clinically definite MS | 64 | 1/17(6%) | 1/22 (5%) | 8/25 (32%) | |
| 3 years | New brain lesions | 44 | 3/15 (20%) | 11/15 (73%) | 12/14 (86%) |
| New cord lesions | 41 | 1/15 (7%) | 4/14 (29%) | 5/12 (42%) | |
| New brain or cord lesions | 44 | 3/15 (20%) | 11/15 (73%) | 13/14 (93%) | |
| McDonald MS (brain only) | 44 | 1/15(7%) | 5/15 (33%) | 14/14 (100%) | |
| McDonald MS (brain and cord) | 44 | 1/15(7%) | 7/15 (47%) | 14/14 (100%) | |
| Clinically definite MS 3 years | 44 | 1/15(7%) | 4/15 (27%) | 9/14 (64%) |