It is common knowledge that due to the multitude of symptoms it has, its diagnosis is difficult and there are certain diseases that have the symptoms. This leads to misdiagnosis, which is, needless to say, never well, as there are no two conditions that respond to the exact same treatment, especially when it comes to illnesses that is as unpredictable as multiple sclerosis.

So, leukomalacia in multiple sclerosis? How does the misdiagnosis occur and why? What are the similarities and what are the differences between the two?

Leukomalacia is the destruction or softening of white matter of the brain. This condition also occurs in premature or newborn babies who have poor blood flow to parts of the brain or have been deprived of oxygen. It’s needless to say that this type of brain damage has serious effects, one of the most disabling being cerebral palsy. The symptoms that one experiences vary according to the degree of injury to the brain.

The symptoms include:
•    Neurological problems
•    Enlarged brain ventricle
•    Developmental problems
•    Mental retardation
•    Behavioral problems
•    Visual disturbance
•    Mildly reduced muscle tone in legs
•    Apnea
•    Bradycardia
•    Irritability
•    Seizures
•    Coordination problems
•    Impaired hearing
•    Contracted muscles

As it can be seen, some of the symptoms are similar to the symptoms that MS patients experience.  A person who suffers from MS will have, among other symptoms the following:
•    Neurological problems
•    Seizures
•    Coordination and balance problems
•    Painful muscles
•    Visual disturbances
•    Behavioral problems
•    Muscle weakness ( in arms or legs)

It’s easy to see how at first glance MS could be seen as leukomalacia or vice-versa, and how easy it is to misdiagnose either condition.

But, isn’t there a way to be sure if the disease that the patient has is MS or leukomalacia?
First of all, leukomalacia is a disease that’s primarily affecting newborns or premature born babies. Today, physicians test the newborn’s ability to suckle or if they exhibit extreme stiffness, and the preliminary diagnosis of this condition is made using imaging technologies, including MRI , which is a very powerful tool for identifying leukomalacia.

However, it also takes and MRI to diagnose multiple sclerosis, and brain lesions is also present in multiple sclerosis patients. So, what makes the difference? First of all, to correctly diagnose MS there is the need of a positive MRI result, a positive spinal tap result and a complete medical history.

Of course, if one suspects that its condition is not MS and a result of leukomalacia, a neurologist who is knowledgeable about the two conditions should be consulted, as the treatment for MS and leukomalacia differs quite a lot, and if the incorrect treatment is taken, it is needless to say that it will do the patient more harm than good.