[Multiple sclerosis in northwestern Switzerland]. / Die Multiple Sklerose in der Nordwestschweiz.

From 1980 to 1987 an epidemiologic survey was conducted in northwestern Switzerland (population 523,000) with the aim of registering as many MS cases as possible. The prevalence for the entire region was 142 per 100,000, with a maximum of 164/100,000 in the city of Basle. Extrapolation suggests there are more than 8000 MS patients living in Switzerland. Other interesting results were: a sex-ratio of 2.2 females:1 male. The mean age at clinical onset was 31.6 years. The mean survival was 30.6 years. Prevalence has grown in recent decades, mainly due to longer survival and to changes in age structure. The incidence presumably remained unchanged.

[MRI and the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis]. / MRI und Diagnose der Multiplen Sklerose.

88 patients aged 22-70 (mean 44) years, presenting with symptoms and/or signs of multiple sclerosis, were investigated by MRI for the purpose of revealing MS-like lesions. 54% of all patients had MRI scans suggestive of MS. Patients with clinically definite MS had MS-suggestive lesions in 85% of cases, and none was normal. In patients with possible signs or symptoms of MS the rate of MS-suggestive MRI scans was 34%. MS lesions can be detected, in decreasing order, in the white matter of the hemispheres (centra semiovalia), the periventricular system, the basal ganglia and the posterior fossa. MRI confirms the diagnosis of clinically definite MS and diagnoses MS in cases with questionable MS symptoms or signs.

[Multiple sclerosis: correlation between clinically suspected locations and ascertained lesions in MRI]. / Multiple Sklerose: Korrelation von klinisch vermuteten Lokalisationsorten und nachgewiesenen Läsionen im MRI.

The neurological symptoms of patients with multiple sclerosis are located to four brain areas and are compared with the demonstrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) lesions. Areas mostly involved are the centrum semiovale, the periventricular space, the cerebellum and the brain stem. There is a good correlation of the different clinical locations and the MRI lesions in general. Only in the cerebrum lesions are more frequent than expected. In individual patients correlations are difficult to achieve especially in the cerebellum and the spinal cord. Repeated, complete studies of the brain and the spinal cord with contrast medium are necessary to improve the results.