MRA vs. MRI

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hello Everyone,

For the last couple of years I had symptoms of MS (numbness in limbs, loss of balance, pain or stiffness…).

I went to see few GP but no one ever mentioned me MS until last week. I saw a new GP, I described my symptoms and he mentioned MS. I made some researches and yes, all my symptoms, my age, the frequency of attack…etc match.

However, i did an MRA 1 year ago (because i thought it could be stroke as it was my left part of the body, back then i never heard of MS). And everything was normal.

So my questions are:

  1. Can we see MS on a MRA (as it is mostly focused on arteries… and not soft tissues). Or is it more accurate on MRI? (I know that MRI Detect 90% of cases).

  2. And if we do MRA (or MRI) between 2 attacks, can we still see the damage on myelin sheath in early stage (~3 years from first attack).

Sorry for the long message and ‘ignorance’.

I read a lot, and make researches. But could find the answer to these 2 questions.

I glady appreciate any help / insights.

I wish everyone a nice day and a good health.

Pat

2

Hi Pat,

Your post is the first time I’ve ever heard of an MRA scan. I’ve read pretty much all that’s easily available about MS and have never come across anything other than MRI being used to diagnose (although having just had a quick google I can see they’re very similar). So I would assume the short answer to be no - an MRA wouldn’t necessarily rule out MS. However I would still take some comfort and optimism from your previous clear scan as both methods are so similar, it would follow that if there was anything majorly off it would show up on either.

Sorry for a vague response, you might find a more experienced member will have a better idea. Have you been referred for an MRI following your latest appointment?

3

Hi

I’d never heard of MRA before either. It does look as though it’s useful for looking at blood vessels but not nerves. The MRI will only look at nerves / CNS.

So it seems to me that having a clear MRA scan wouldn’t have any bearing on the likelihood or otherwise of MS.

Your other question relates to the permanence of demyelinating lesions in the early years of MS. I believe that once you have a lesion it will always be there, regardless of age. I’ve seen a neurologist going through old scans versus new scans of my brain (MRI that is). He was very clearly spotting old lesions and new ones. Anything showing current inflammation will be brighter and definitely show that the disease is presently active, but older lesions will also show up.

Having said that, there are many conditions which share symptoms with MS. So having several symptoms that could indicate MS won’t necessarily be MS.

Your GP should refer you to a neurologist who will consider your history, do a neurological examination and then order tests (including MRI) if s/he feels it’s needed.

Best of luck.

Sue