|
Three
years later, at 34, Janet awoke to a prickly tingling feeling
from her waist down to her feet. The sensation of "pins
and needles" was so intense, she could hardly walk.
She made another appointment with a neurologist who ordered three
tests to confirm his suspicion of multiple sclerosis. These tests
consisted of a lumbar puncture, evoked potential testing,
and a scan of her brain and spinal column by a new exciting
imaging technique,
magnetic
resonance imaging.
14.
How does an MRI scan differ from a CT scan?
15. What are
the advantages of an MRI scan over a CT scan?
The
first test, a lumbar
puncture,
checked for elevated protein levels in the cerebral spinal fluid
(CSF). Results showed an increased level of abnormal
protein.
16.
What is a lumbar puncture?
Evoked
potential
testing showed definite slowing of nerve impulses.
Instructor's
Note:
Because nerve signals cannot easily pass through
demylinated
nerves,
nerve impulses are slower than normal. This slowing of the
nerve impulses is what is detected through the evoked potential
test.
17.
What causes the characteristic plaques seen in MS?
18.
Why are the plaques not always seen in a patient with MS?
|
