Very Interesting! I've only included the beginning of the article since it is long. Please click the link for further information.

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/s...60&newsLang=en

November 11, 2009 09:00 AM Eastern Time
Mayo Clinic Neurologist Reports: “Thousands of NMO Patients are Misdiagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis”

Groundbreaking Conference for Rare Neurological Disease – Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) – Brings Together World’s Top Doctors, Medical Researchers and Patients in Pursuit of a Cure

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thousands of Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) patients are potentially being misdiagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), according to Mayo Clinic Neurologist Sean Pittock, M.D., largely due to lack of awareness of NMO within the medical community. Dr. Pittock shared this finding with more than 50 of the world’s leading doctors and medical researchers – from Harvard to Oxford – who gathered at the 2009 NMO Roundtable Conference, sponsored by the Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation.

NMO is a rare and debilitating disease that attacks the optic nerves and spinal cord, often causing vision loss, paralysis of legs and arms, and sensory disturbances. The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation has brought together these researchers to help find a cure for this rare disease.

Dr. Pittock came to his conclusion based on ongoing research at the Mayo Clinic. Of the 1,200 blood samples that are sent to Mayo Clinic’s neuroimmunology laboratory for NMO antibody (NMO-IgG) testing each month, approximately 70 new patients test positive for NMO, which is surprisingly high considering it is believed to be a rare disease. Of the 70 patients who have the NMO antibody, Dr. Pittock has found that a majority were previously thought to have MS.

Making the distinction between MS and NMO has been greatly assisted by Mayo Clinic’s recent discovery of this NMO antibody. In fact, this is the first biomarker that has shown to be sensitive and specific for any central nervous system (CNS), inflammatory demyelinating disease.
“It’s important to differentiate NMO from MS as these disorders are treated differently,” says Dr. Pittock. “The identification of this novel antibody marker will hopefully assist neurologists in making a correct diagnosis of NMO, rather than MS.” ...

I've been tested for the biomarker twice. Once in 2007 when getting my second opinion, and once earlier this year when my neuro had me go see the neuro at the MS Clinic. I think my neuro, who is probably in his early 80s, might have been thinking about retiring and was lightening his workload. I didnt like the neuro at the MS Clinic (I thought she was a bit arrogant, and a brand new neuro this year...plus I couldnt understand her accent very well)

The MS Clinic did the second NMO antibody test, and I'm guessing they might have done it to double check. I think there was some question for my MS diagnosis in their minds because I didnt have brain lesions (just a few dots in places where you wouldnt typically find MS lesions) but I did have spinal lesions (T12 and C4). Along with clinical signs of optic neuritis (none of my MRI's have ever seen a lesion on my optic nerves)

Fascinating article.