Methods: A total of 35 MS'ers with SPMS, 25 patients with PPMS, and 60 age- and gender-matched normal controls (NC) were enrolled into a cross-sectional study. Extracranial and transcranial high-resolution venous echo color Doppler sonography (ECDS-TCDS) was performed in all MS'ers and NC. Those MS'ers having any abnormal ultrasound finding were asked to undergo selective venography (VGF).
Results:
TCDS was normal in all MS'ers.
ECDS showed one or more abnormal findings in 9/60 (15.0%) MS'ers (7/35 [20.0%] SPMS, 2/25 [8.0%] PPMS) and in 14/60 (23.3%) NC (p not significant for all comparisons).
CCSVI criteria were fulfilled in 0 NC and 4 (6.7%) patients with MS: 3 SPMS and 1 PPMS.
VGF, performed in 6/9 patients, was abnormal only in one case who had bilateral internal jugular vein stenosis.
Conclusion: Their findings indicate that CCSVI is not a late secondary phenomenon of MS and is not associated with disability.