Poser criteria

Poser criteria is a set of guidelines that were developed by Dr. Charles M. Poser for the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. These criteria were widely used prior to the development of the McDonald criteria, which are currently the most commonly used guidelines for diagnosing Multiple Sclerosis.

History

The Poser criteria were developed in 1983 by Dr. Charles M. Poser and his colleagues. They were designed to provide a more standardized approach to the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, which at the time was often diagnosed based on a combination of clinical symptoms and the results of various diagnostic tests.

Criteria

The Poser criteria are based on the presence of two key factors: clinical evidence of at least two separate attacks of neurological symptoms, and evidence of at least two separate areas of damage in the central nervous system.

The criteria are divided into two main categories: Definite Multiple Sclerosis and Probable Multiple Sclerosis.

Definite Multiple Sclerosis is further divided into two subcategories: Clinically Definite Multiple Sclerosis and Laboratory-supported Definite Multiple Sclerosis.

Probable Multiple Sclerosis is also divided into two subcategories: Clinically Probable Multiple Sclerosis and Laboratory-supported Probable Multiple Sclerosis.

Limitations

While the Poser criteria were a significant step forward in the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, they have several limitations. They do not take into account the use of modern imaging techniques such as MRI, which can provide more detailed information about the extent and location of lesions in the brain and spinal cord. They also do not include any criteria for ruling out other potential causes of the patient's symptoms.

See Also

• Multiple Sclerosis
• McDonald criteria
• Neurology

References

• Poser CM, Paty DW, Scheinberg L, et al. New diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: guidelines for research protocols. Ann Neurol. 1983;13(3):227-231.

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