# MRI with contrast help?

**URL:** <https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/mri-with-contrast-help/78581>\
**Category:** Symptoms and treatments\
**Created:** [11 February 2025 18:39 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/mri-with-contrast-help/78581 "2025-02-11T18:39:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wmgeorge1975](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed655f/32.png) [@wmgeorge1975](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/wmgeorge1975)\
**Post date:** [11 February 2025 18:39 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/mri-with-contrast-help/78581/1 "2025-02-11T18:39:24Z")

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Does the mri have to be with contrast to see ms?  
Can a mri without contrast pick up ms?

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**Author:** ![alison100](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/alison100/32/1019_2.png) [@alison100](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/alison100)\
**Post date:** [11 February 2025 19:52 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/mri-with-contrast-help/78581/2 "2025-02-11T19:52:31Z")

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My MS was diagnosed through clinical history + MRI without contrast and confirmed with an LP.

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**Author:** ![steve.fitzjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@steve.fitzjohn](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/steve.fitzjohn)\
**Post date:** [11 February 2025 22:25 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/mri-with-contrast-help/78581/4 "2025-02-11T22:25:30Z")

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My MS was diagnosed using history and MRI without contrast. Lesions were very clear on the MRI

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**Author:** ![whammel](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/whammel/32/1005_2.png) [@whammel](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/whammel)\
**Post date:** [11 February 2025 23:22 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/mri-with-contrast-help/78581/5 "2025-02-11T23:22:37Z")

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This might help explain.

[Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) | MS Trust](https://mstrust.org.uk/a-z/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri)

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**Author:** ![crd](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/crd/32/970_2.png) [@crd](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/crd)\
**Post date:** [12 February 2025 09:12 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/mri-with-contrast-help/78581/6 "2025-02-12T09:12:38Z")

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Useful information.

With contrast shows if a lesion is “active”, this can possibly influence treatment options.

Depends on where you are being treated.

Extends the MRI as they normally do without first then inject the contrast agent and repeat some of the scans.

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**Author:** ![greenhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7c8e57/32.png) [@greenhouse](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/greenhouse)\
**Post date:** [12 February 2025 11:29 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/mri-with-contrast-help/78581/7 "2025-02-12T11:29:17Z")

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Mine was diagnosed with clinical history, lesions were very clear on my MRI without contrast + a LP.  
Jean

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**Author:** ![alison100](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/alison100/32/1019_2.png) [@alison100](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/alison100)\
**Post date:** [12 February 2025 11:56 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/mri-with-contrast-help/78581/8 "2025-02-12T11:56:04Z")

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In my experience if (for instance) your left hand has lost power, they know where they’ll expect to see a lesion and if it’s there they won’t need contrast to know it’s an active one.