Multiple sclerosis lesions are scars in the central nervous system caused by chronic inflammation, leading to neurological symptoms. Medical imaging can locate and monitor lesions, which can be silent or cause symptoms. The cause of symptom development is unknown, and research continues.
Multiple sclerosis lesions are scars that form in the central nervous system due to chronic inflammation. They are the telltale diagnostic sign associated with multiple sclerosis and the direct cause of the neurological symptoms associated with this disorder. Medical imaging studies such as MRI can be used to locate lesions in a patient and can also be identified on biopsy or autopsy.
The term “multiple sclerosis” is a reference to the numerous sclerosis, a medical term for the lesions associated with this condition, which develop in the patient’s nervous system. Also known as plaques, multiple sclerosis lesions develop when inflammation eats away at the protective myelin sheath that covers the nerves. The inflammatory processes involved can be complex and are the result of autoimmune disease, where the body misidentifies antigens on its own cells as evidence of foreign material in the body.
When myelin is removed, it impairs nerve conduction. It’s harder for the body to send signals through the damaged nerve, and neurological symptoms such as poor motor control, tremors, and slurred speech can develop. Multiple sclerosis can be a progressive disease, with lesions getting worse over time and symptoms becoming more severe as a result. Patients may eventually need mobility aids and other assistive devices as their central nervous system disorders escalate.
Research with the assistance of medical imaging has shown that many patients have so-called silent lesions. These lesions cause no clinical symptoms. The reasons why some multiple sclerosis lesions cause symptoms while others don’t remain mysterious, although researchers are certainly studying the issue. The central nervous system is complex, has some self-healing capabilities, and is not fully understood in its entirety, despite the amount of research that has been devoted to understanding the brain and spinal cord.
If a doctor believes a patient is developing multiple sclerosis, medical imaging studies may be ordered for diagnostic purposes. Imaging of multiple sclerosis lesions is also used as a means of monitoring disease progression. Doctors will monitor changes to lesions and the appearance of new lesions to learn more about how a patient’s case is unfolding. Copies of old imaging studies will be kept in the patient’s file for future reference, and patients can ask to see the newest and oldest scans for comparison if they are interested.
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