A test developed in Nottingham is helping to diagnose MS without the need for an invasive lumbar puncture. The lumbar puncture procedure involves a needle being inserted into the lower back so fluid can be collected from the spine. Experts at the University of Nottingham found they could successfully identify MS with a new type of MRI scan, after more than 20 years of research.
Medical experts behind the test, which has been rolled out in the city, said it is faster, cheaper, and they hope it will now be rolled out across the country. The new test lets doctors see MS lesions in close detail so they can tell if there are veins in the middle of lesions. This ‘central vein sign’ distinguishes MS from other conditions, which do not form around veins in the same way. A 7 Tesla scanner – the most powerful of its kind at the time – was installed at University of Nottingham more than 10 years ago.
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