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Neuromyelitis Optica Preceded by Brain Demyelinating Episode
Author(s) -
Amemiya Shimon,
Hamamoto Makoto,
Kumagai Tomoaki,
Ueda Masayuki,
Katayama Yasuo,
Tanaka Keiko
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of neuroimaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1552-6569
pISSN - 1051-2284
DOI - 10.1111/j.1552-6569.2008.00288.x
Subject(s) - neuromyelitis optica , medicine , multiple sclerosis , optic neuritis , lesion , myelitis , demyelinating disease , spinal cord , pathology , optic nerve , pathogenesis , immunology , ophthalmology , psychiatry
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is considered a distinct disease from multiple sclerosis (MS) because of its pathogenesis. It is well accepted that NMO selectively affects the spinal cord and optic nerve and is not associated with brain lesions at the onset of the disease, unlike MS. We present a unique case where the patient's initial lesion was in the brain, and optic neuritis and myelitis were revealed 6 years after the brain lesion. In addition, the patient's serum antiaquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody was positive. We consider the brain lesion to precede abnormal lesion of NMO, and the AQP4 measurement is important for diagnostics, even if it occurs with brain lesions.