Atypical MRI findings in patient with neuromyelitis optic first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: A case report

Abstract

Background: NMO is one the disease in Asia which has not been well understood and studied in Asia, particularly Indonesia. Lesions in optic nerves, combined with longitudinal lesion that involved more than three segments of spinal cord have become the hallmark of NMO diagnosis besides antibody of aquaporin 4 examination. Lesion presents at brain MRI usually exclude the diagnosis, shifting it to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Failure to distinguish NMO from MS can be proven to be catastrophic as treatment of MS may not only inefficacious but also exacerbate the relapse rate of NMO.