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  • Prediction of conversion from clinically isolated syndrome to clinically definite multiple sclerosis according to baseline MRI findings: comparison of revised McDonald criteria and Swanton modified criteria

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Research paper
Prediction of conversion from clinically isolated syndrome to clinically definite multiple sclerosis according to baseline MRI findings: comparison of revised McDonald criteria and Swanton modified criteria
  1. C-P Lo1,2,
  2. H-W Kao3,
  3. S-Y Chen4,
  4. C-J Hsueh3,
  5. W-C Lin5,
  6. W-L Hsu6,
  7. D-K Wu5,
  8. G-C Liu5
  1. 1
    Department of Radiology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taichung Branch, Tanzih Township, Taichung County, Taiwan
  2. 2
    Department of Radiology, Tzu Chi University, School of Medicine, Hualien, Taiwan
  3. 3
    Department of Radiology, Tri-Service General Hospital and National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
  4. 4
    Department of Hyperbaric Medicine and Neurology, Cardinal Tien Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
  5. 5
    Department of Medical Imaging, Kaoshing Medical University Hospital, Kaoshing Medical University, Kaoshing, Taiwan
  6. 6
    Department of Radiation Oncology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taichung Branch, Tanzih Township, Taichung County, Taiwan
  1. Correspondence to Dr C-P Lo, Department of Radiology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taichung Branch, No 66, Sec 1, Fongsing Road, Tanzih Township, Taichung County 427, Taiwan; rain2343{at}ms22.hinet.net

Abstract

Background: The International Panel on the Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis first incorporated abnormalities demonstrated by brain and spinal cord MRI into the diagnostic criteria (McDonald criteria) for multiple sclerosis (MS), which were later revised in 2005. In 2006, Swanton and colleagues modified the MRI criteria to simplify and speed the diagnosis.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of two sets of criteria (the revised McDonald MRI criteria and Swanton’s modified criteria) to predict conversion from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) to clinically definite multiple sclerosis (CDMS) from baseline MRI findings.

Methods: Sixty-four patients presenting with CIS suggestive of multiple sclerosis were recruited from 2001 to 2006 and followed up for at least 2 years. Their baseline brain and spinal cord MRI studies were retrospectively evaluated. The patients who developed CDMS during follow-up were treated as positive cases. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of the two MRI dissemination-in-space criteria were calculated.

Results: Thirty patients (46.9%) converted to CDMS. The sensitivity specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy (%) of the revised McDonald criteria were 53, 100, 100, 71 and 78, respectively, while those for Swanton’s modified criteria were 60, 100, 100, 74 and 81.

Conclusions: In conclusion, Swanton’s modified criteria are more sensitive and accurate (but not significantly so). However, Swanton’s criteria are simpler to use and have equally high specificity and PPV.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2008.169045

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None.

    • Ethics approval Ethics approval was provided by the Institutional Review Board of Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH IRB 097-05-129).

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