Neuromyelitis Optica - Diagnosis

Diagnosis

The Mayo Clinic proposed a revised set of criteria for diagnosis of Devic's disease in 2006. The new guidelines require two absolute criteria plus at least two of three supportive criteria.

Absolute criteria:

1. Optic neuritis
2. Acute myelitis

Supportive criteria:

1. Brain MRI not meeting criteria for MS at disease onset
2. Spinal cord MRI with contiguous T2-weighted signal abnormality extending over three or more vertebral segments, indicating a relatively large lesion in the spinal cord
3. NMO-IgG seropositive status (The NMO-IgG test checks the existence of antibodies against the aquaporin 4 antigen.)