Clinically isolated syndrome

Not everyone who has a single relapse will go on to have multiple sclerosis (MS). This distinction is important because it can have implications on driving and financial support.

You can predict which people are most likely to develop MS based on an MRI scan by looking for something called dissemination in time and space. Full details are available on the MRI scan page, but essentially, if the scan or scans:

• indicate this is the only ever episode of inflammation, then we will continue with a diagnosis of clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)
• show old and new lesions (indicating an ongoing process rather than a one-off event) we will likely change the diagnosis to MS