The McDonald Criteria in Patients with Suspected MS

The McDonald criteria for diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS), first published in 2001 ( Ann Neurol 2001; 50:121) and revised in 2005 to include more recent data on cervical spine MRI ( Ann Neurol 2005; 58:840), are widely accepted. The criteria, which allow for earlier diagnosis of MS than do previous diagnostic criteria, were derived from patients presenting with an initial clinical episode characteristic of MS. Therefore, the sensitivity of the criteria pertains only to patients already suspected of having MS or a first event resembling MS. These researchers asked …