MS liberation

What kind of test is needed to detect CCSVI?

1.The tests needed to detect CCSVI are specific: extracranial and transcranial doppler sonography of the head & neck or/and a magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance venography (MRV) of the head and neck with & without contrast.
2.Dopplers can be used to initially screen for CCSVI because patients need to be tested in the sitting position and the supine position, which only can be done with doppler. The MRV/MRI are needed prior to any sort of intervention and interventionalists will do a venogram (gold standard) prior to deciding on any procedure
3.Cost & coverage: If requested by a doctor (GP), in Canada the doppler would be covered by OHIP; however, to date the hospitals do not appear to be doing the test. If you want it to be covered by OHIP, Doppler needs GP referral only, but MRI/MRV needs a specialist. if you are doing a doppler or MRI/MRV privately, you only need a referral by a GP, whether in Canada or the USA.

1.Neurologist and specialist are cautiously waiting for more trials to be done before getting patients tested.
2.The technologist are not trained to do this test according to the required doppler protocol so there is potential for 45% false negative results. If you chose to get a doppler test please educate yourself first and discuss it with your GP.
3.The MRI situation in Canada is very bad, as we do not have enough machines: Click HERE to see statistics

Please refer to the Patient Toolkit below.

There are private and public clinics and the cost ranges from CD $450 for a doppler and CD $ 2,400 for Doppler and MRI/MRV testing. Please call for more information.

Where can I get tested and what do I need to know?

Why can’t I at least get tested now?

Patient Toolkit

Please:

1)Educate yourselves by visiting sites and reading the published journals;
2)Talk to your doctor and neurologist;
3)Provide your doctor, neurologist and MS Clinic with the CCSVI_booklet.pdf that our colleague Jill Marciano prepared (it can be downloaded, printed and bound into a booklet);
4)Bring the protocols to any doctor and technician that you visit.

Here are two protocols to do the doppler CCSVI test:

DopplerProtocol-Zamboni

Doppler Protocol#2

For the MRI/MRV imaging protocol please visit:

www.ms-mri.com/potential.php

Disclaimer: We are a grass-roots organization and do not offer any medical or legal advice. This website is for information purposes only.

Dr. Haacke’s Assessment:

"The current CCSVI MRI protocol that he recommends includes both MRV and flow quantification. MR flow quantification is as good as and perhaps even better than ultrasound. With these two features together MR can catch a lot of the abnormal vessels. Further, MRI can create full 3D vascular information from the aortic arch to the top of the brain. Doppler is also more operator dependent than the MRI. But ultrasound can image the valves and septum in the veins which MRI can not do. So together they make a good combination with flow acting as a common link between them. So both ultrasound and MRI are very important.

As in any technological applications, methods will only get better over time and our ability to diagnose CCSVI will get better. The imaging methods only suggest CCSVI, the final proof of the pudding comes in the angiographic data itself prior to surgery (if something is found). There is nothing like direct evidence from the source itself. Finally, MRI is a critical assessment tool, especially from the neurological perspective. We can image pre and post intervention MRIs that measure atrophy (and there was a big emphasis at the workshop that this is what really matters), whether and how much iron is present, and if the veins are still patent."

Please visit www.ms-mri.com for more information on MRI and ultrasound in CCSVI.

Doppler Screening

Barrie, Ontario:

Barrie Vascular Imaging, Tel.: 705-722-8738

Trained by Dr. Zamboni

Port Perry, Ontario:

Port Perry Imaging Centre:

462 Paxton Street

TEL: 905 985 9727

FAX: 905 985 0479

Doppler Screening & MRI/MRV Testing

British Columbia, Vancouver: