negative vep and ssep..can it still be ms?

[coffeeom]

I Left my doctor appointment with  probable Ms. He sent me for a new MRI with contrast...a vep and a ssep. His next appointment  I could get with him was July 22.

I got my vep and ssep results back in the mail  and they said within normal limits, I am still waiting to hear from him about the mri.its been about 2 weeks now.

My question is with these results negative does that mean he was wrong about the probable Ms?
I have scattered lesions  and one in the corpus callosal. I do have many other symptoms that go with Ms...  Just wondering if you can have negative vep and ssep and still have Ms?

[coffeeom]

Thanks everyone...  I Think I am going to call the doctors office today to see if  I can get My Mri results (This one is with contrast...The other one was without)

The doctor I am going to is in a Ms center...He came highly recommended  by my family doctor.
I hope I get definite answers soon....Linda

[rendean]

I had negative VEP and SSEP results and I have a dx of RRMS. I also have scattered lesions and one in the corpus callosum. My MS neuro is older and has experience in making the a dx without an MRI as this is what he learned years ago. Others were skeptical.

Now that I have had several relapses, of course everyone else agrees. Stick to your guns and trust your gut to know if you are getting good information and a good examination and dx that fits all of your symptoms.

Let us know how things go.

Ren

[essdipity]

Absolutely you can. Evoked potentials are abnormal when lesions have formed in various areas common in MS, but that's all. It's also common when no lesions have formed there.

There is no rule in test for MS. If there were any, diagnosing it would be a lot easier. When results are abnormal, that just lends more probability to MS as the cause, but there is nothing definite either way.

Do you have to wait to talk with your doctor about the MRI? You can and should get the radiology report directly, and also the actual films or CD. It's wise to keep your own copies of all test results, as this could save a lot of time and hassle in the future. You don't know what doctors you may wind up seeing, and so on.

Good luck with this, and let us know.

ess

[HVAC]

An MS diagnosis is not made from the test results. The tests just give the Neurologist clues. He or she has to put a diagnosis together from test results and experience.

Alex