Demyelination is something that occurs in several different diseases.  It is important for medical professionals and patients to know that seeing demyelination on MRI scans is the only way to properly identify it and see what parts of the body it is affecting.  This is the best way to tell what the severity of the demyelination is, what the demyelination could be caused by, and what disease the demyelination could be related to.  Demyelination is often seen in patients with multiple sclerosis, and it will be present in their central nervous system and spinal cord.

An MRI will typically be ordered if anyone is experiencing neurological symptoms that could be related to demyelination.  Since medical professionals can only see demyelination on MRI, it is the most widely used test, both with and without contrast.  Symptoms that may lead to an MRI scan include loss of balance, muscle weakness, cognitive difficulties, …