Multiple Sclerosis (MS) : Tests

Symptoms of MS may mimic many other neurologic disorders. Diagnosis is made by ruling out other conditions. A history of at least two attacks separated by a period of reduced or no symptoms may be a sign of relapsing-remitting MS. If the health ca...

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is comprised of the brain and the spinal cord. In the CNS, the nerves are covered by a protective layer called the myelin sheath. Myelin helps keep ...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, degenerative disorder affecting the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. A fatty tissue called myelin coats and protects the nerve fibers in the CNS. When...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting movement, sensation, and bodily functions. It is caused by destruction of the myelin insulation covering nerve fibers (neurons) in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system . The disease results in injury to the myelin sheath (the fatty matter that covers the axons of the nerve cells), the oligodendrocytes (the cells that produc...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting movement, sensation, and bodily functions. It is caused by destruction of the myelin sheath (insulation) covering nerve fibers ( neurons ) in the central nervous system ( brain and...

A standard ophthalmic exam is a series of tests done to check your vision and health of your eyes. See also: Refraction test

An eye examination is a series of tests performed by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist to determine if there are any pre-existing or potential problems with a patient's vision . Purpose Eye examinations measure a person's ocular health and visual status, in order to detect abnormalities in the components of the visual system, and to determine how well the person can see.

Detailed information on eye examinations and at what age they are recommended

Detailed information on eye examinations in children

Detailed information on eye examinations in children

CSF oligoclonal banding is a test to look for inflammation-related substances in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the clear fluid that flows in the space surrounding the spinal cord and brain. Oligoclonal bands are substances called immunoglobulins, which suggest inflammation of the central nervous system. The presence of oligoclonal bands may be a sign of multiple sclerosis.

Lumbar puncture (LP) is the technique of using a needle to withdraw cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the spinal canal. CSF is the clear, watery liquid that protects the central nervous system from injury and cushions it from the surrounding bone structure.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is a laboratory test to examine a sample of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This fluid is a clear, watery liquid that protects the central nervous system from injury and cushions it from the surrounding bone structure.

During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems. A typical physical examination includes: Inspection (looking at the body; Palpation (feeling the body with hands; Auscultation (listening to sounds; Percussion (producing sounds.

An MRI of the head is a noninvasive procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct clear, detailed pictures of brain tissues. Conventional radiography and computed tomographic (CT) imaging use potentially harmful radiation (x-rays) that passes through a patient to generate images. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is based on the magnetic properties of atoms, and there is no exposure to the same type of radiation used in x-rays and CT scans. A powerful magnet generates a magnetic field roughly 10,000 times stronger than the Earth's. A very small percentage of hydrogen atoms within the body will align with this field. Radio wave pulses are broadcast towards the aligned hydrogen atoms in tissues of interest, returning a signal of their own. The slight differences of those signals from different tissues enables MRI to tell the difference between various organs, and potentially, provide contrast between benign and malignant tissue. Any imaging angle, or "slice", can be projected, and then stored in a computer or printed on film. MRI can easily be performed through clothing and bones. However, certain types of metal in or around the area of interest can cause significant errors in the reconstructed images. These errors are called artifacts.

Detailed information on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including information on how the procedure is performed

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine is a noninvasive procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the spine area, including the spine bones (vertebrae), the spinal cord, and the spaces between the vertebrae through which the nerves travel. See also: MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) is a test that lets your doctor see detailed pictures of the inside of your body. MRI combines the use of strong magnets and radio waves to form an MRI image.Before Your TestMRI uses ...

A neurological examination is an essential component of a comprehensive physical examination . It is a systematic examination that surveys the functioning of nerves delivering sensory information to the brain and caring motor commands (Peripheral nervous system) and impulses back to the brain for processing and coordinating (Central nervous system).

Ophthalmoscopy is an examination of the back part of the eyeball (fundus), which includes the retina, optic disc, choroid, and blood vessels.

The slit-lamp examination looks at structures that are at the front of the eye.

Sensory evoked potential (EP) studies are the measurement of the electrical response of nervous tissue to auditory, visual, and somatosensory stimulation. Purpose EP studies, also known as evoked responses, measure the very faint electrical response of the brain , brainstem, or peripheral nerves to a mild stimulus, displaying it as a wave on a paper strip or computer monitor.

Evoked Potential TestingYour doctor may order evoked potential tests to check the signals your brain and spinal cord (parts of your nervous system) receive from other parts of your body. These tests are also used to check for vision and hearing pr...

The visual field is the total area in which objects can be seen in the peripheral vision while the eye is focused on a central point.