Episode 125: Understanding Major Changes to New McDonald Criteria for Multiple Sclerosis

Link to episode: https://www.neurologylive.com/view/ep...

In this episode, "Understanding Major Changes to New McDonald Criteria for Multiple Sclerosis," Daniel Ontaneda, MD, PhD, a staff member of the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, provided an in-depth overview on the new McDonald criteria to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS), which was presented at the 40th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). Ontaneda, who also serves as an assistant professor of neurology, discussed the most notable changes to the criteria and how it may help towards improving rates of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. He spoke on the incorporation of new biomarkers, such as central vein sign and paramagnetic rim lesions, and the ability to diagnose MS in stages before clinical presentation shows. Furthermore, Ontaneda gave some perspective on the areas of the new criteria that will take some time to adjust to, as well as how these criteria may change the philosophical perspective of the disease as a whole.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN
1:10 – Focus and direction of new diagnostic criteria
3:00 – Overviewing specific changes to McDonald criteria
10:50 – Approach to diagnosing pre-MS; treating radiologically isolated syndrome earlier
12:55 – Neurology News Minute
15:10 – Incorporation of new biomarkers, central vein sign, paramagnetic rim lesions, OCT
21:45 – Unanswered questions/challenges left out of the diagnostic criteria