Pure spinal multiple sclerosis: A possible novel entity within the multiple sclerosis disease spectrum

Abstract

We identified five female patients retrospectively with relapsing short-segment partial myelitis whose clinical and paraclinical features were suggestive of cord involvement of multiple sclerosis (MS)-type albeit not rigidly fulfilling the 2017 McDonald criteria. Notably, these patients had not developed any typical MS-like brain lesions despite repeated neuroimaging assessments over years. Comprehensive work-up for differential diagnoses of MS and other causes of transverse myelitis particularly neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders had been consistently negative on longitudinal follow-up. Thus, we postulate a possible entity of pure spinal MS which may represent a novel forme fruste within the MS disease spectrum.