Multiple sclerosis (MS): differential diagnosis

Neuroinflammatory

• Neuromyelitis optica (NMO)
• Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
• Behcet’s disease
• Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)
• Neurosarcoidosis
• Chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy (CRION)
• Leukoencephalopathy
• Schilder’s disease
• Familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (fHLH)
• Anti MOG antibody disease
• Atopic myelitis

Autoimmune

Vascular

Infective

Neoplastic

Leukodystrophies

Metabolic

Nutritional

Haematological

Mitochondrial

Drug-induced

Other differentials

Acronym

References

1. Ropper AH, Brown RH. Principles of Neurology Eighth edition. McGraw Hill New York 2005 p785-786.
2. Tzementzis S. Differential Diagnosis in Neurology and Neurosurgery. Thieme 2000 p144-146.
3. Kaimen-Maciel DR, Callegaro D. Unusual clinical cases that mimic MS. Int MS J 2006; 23:77-83.
4. Hardy TA, Reddel SW, Barnett MH, Palace J, Lucchinetti CF, Weinshenker BG. Atypical inflammatory demyelinating syndromes of the CNS. Lancet Neurol 2016; 15:967-981.
5. Solomon AJ, Arrambide G, Brownlee WJ, et al. Differential diagnosis of suspected multiple sclerosis: an updated consensus approach. Lancet Neurol 2023; 22:750-768.
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Related checklists

• Multiple sclerosis (MS): classification
• Multiple sclerosis (MS): revised McDonald diagnostic criteria
• Multiple sclerosis (MS): non-modifiable risk factors
• Multiple sclerosis (MS): modifiable risk factors
• Multiple sclerosis (MS): protective factors
• Multiple sclerosis (MS): typical neurological features
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• Multiple sclerosis (MS): paroxysmal attacks
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