Disorders that Can Mimic Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) |
Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome |
Behçet's disease |
CADASIL |
Congenital leukodystrophies (e.g., adrenoleukodystrophy, metachromatic leukodystrophy) |
HIV infection |
Ischemic optic neuropathy (arteritic and nonarteritic) |
Lyme disease |
MELAS |
Neoplasms (e.g., lymphoma, glioma, meningioma) |
Sarcoid |
Sjögren's syndrome |
Stroke and ischemic cerebrovascular disease |
Syphilis |
Systemic lupus erythematosus and related collagen vascular disorders |
Tropical spastic paraparesis (HTLV-1/2 infection) |
Vascular malformations (especially spinal dural AV fistulas) |
Vasculitis (primary CNS or other) |
Vitamin B12 deficiency |
Abbreviations: AV, arteriovenous; CADASIL, cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy, subcortical infarcts, and leukoencephalopathy; HTLV, human T-cell lymphotropic virus; MELAS, mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke.