Are No Brain Lesions on MRI Common with MS Diagnosis?

Thank you for taking time to read my question.  I've had the Brain scan checking for lesions for possible MS diagnosis and it came back negative.  My Dr still thinks I have MS (so do I) and we've ruled out most other causes with all the typical bloodwork etc.   I have 85% of the Symptoms for MS and the first 'episode' I had was at age 26 several months after having Scarlet Fever.  My legs just quit working.  It was very brief and only lasted about 10 seconds until I fully recovered, but it scared me.  No diagnosis at the time from just that one symptom.  I'm 45 years old now and have been experiencing all these weird symptoms that came and went over the last 19 years and I never put it all together before...as in ONE thing causing ALL of it, until my legs quit working again about 4 months ago and it's happened again twice since then.  Recovery is usually just within seconds (so far).  My next tests are the neck/spine MRI and possible Spinal Tap to confirm a diagnosis.  I have no health insurance so I hafta wait for those tests.  

My Question is this:  

**How common is it to have no lesions on an MRI...brain or otherwise...and still have an accurate MS diagnosis?

[jujuminx]

Not sure it matters how common it is or not, the fact is is that it is entirely possible to have no brain lesions and get a dx of MS.  It happened to me.  18 yrs worth of brain MRI's all negative. Finally they did spinal MRI (cervical and t) and found lesions. Got dx right then and there.

Julie

[Lulu54]

We have a very good Health Page on this very topic - check it out at


http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Multiple-Sclerosis/How-Can-a-Person-with-MS-Have-a-Negative-MRI/show/161?cid=36

Good luck with this.
Lulu

[jujuminx]

Not sure it matters how common it is or not, the fact is is that it is entirely possible to have no brain lesions and get a dx of MS.  It happened to me.  18 yrs worth of brain MRI's all negative. Finally they did spinal MRI (cervical and t) and found lesions. Got dx right then and there.

Julie

[DT16]

Thank you both so much for your input!  I'm goin' to a new, non-quack, Dr. on Jan. 18th and hopefully she'll get the ball rolling to do the spinal MRI and see what goes.
Thanks again!
take care and be blessed,
Diana

[Sumanadevii]

I was like you.  Years later putting together things that happened...not even reporting them to a doctor.  My first sign was  hot burning feet.  The next a burning thigh.  I did see my family doctor on that issue.  He suggested a neuro and I didn't follow up.  The next was exactly what is happening to you.  I began freezing in place unable to move.  It happened in the middle of a shopping center...as I was paying for a purchase.  Another time on a ladder and unable to move.  It happened again at work and an employee of mine insisted I go to the hospital where nothing was diagnosed.

It wasn't until my right foot would never cooperate that I began to worry and seek medical attention.  None could find a thing wrong.  Then the horrid backache that felt like a raw open nerve.  With that I began seeking specialists after specialist.

May I suggest, asking that new neuro for a 3t of your spine.  A l.5t usually doesn't show spinal lesions well.  I have but one small lesion on my brain.  My first neuro chalked it up to age.  He had a spinal MRI done on a 1.5 t and nothing showed.  I sat three and one half years under the idiot losing a great deal of my body strength.  Please make sure you are using a high powered enough machine to see lesions on the spine.  JMO