O bands

[Pfurs]

Are o bands the same as elevated protein in your spinal fluid?

[twopack]

Here's a Health Page with a lot of information about O-Bands.

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Multiple-Sclerosis/Can-you-Diagnose-MS-with-an-LP-that-is-Negative-for-O-bands/show/142?cid=36

Hope it helps in understanding your test.
Mary

[RedFlame]

they aren't necessarily needed for a diagnosis, but they can clinch a diagnosis if you have other objective data but need another 'piece of the pie' so to speak.  

O-bands in my spinal fluid helped solidify my diagnosis for example

Red

[jensequitur]

Oligoclonal bands are actually immunoglobulins, otherwise known as antibodies.  They can be referred to as proteins, but elevated protein in your spinal fluid is not equivalent to o-bands.

Each band is an antibody for a different virus.  So if you have more antibodies in your CSF than you do in your bloodstream, it means that a virus has crossed the blood-brain barrier.

At this point in time, we've started to look at different ways of diagnosing MS.  Lack of o-bands don't exclude a diagnosis of MS.  However, with your lack of lesions, it's more likely that the specific pain in your legs is caused by compression of the spinal cord.

[Pfurs]

Thanks. Are o bands or protein in your cfs enough for a dx of ms. No lesions but nerve pain in legs for 10 years

thanks

[maxthecat9196]

Oligoclonal bands are indeed proteins or protein fragments that are secreted by plasma cells.  - I'm afraid that's all I know about it.  

Tammy