Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis

Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM)

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Diagnosis

An accurate and early diagnosis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is critical in the management of your child's disease and quality of life.

In making a diagnosis of ADEM, your child's doctor will first start by conducting a thorough physical examination, asking about any symptoms your child is experiencing, including when they started and how they've eased or progressed over time. Your child's doctor will also record their full medical history, including information about your immediate and extended family's medical history.

Next, a series of tests will be conducted, including a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord to look for lesions, or areas of damage that may indicate ADEM and rule out other disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). An MRI scan is a non-invasive procedure that uses powerful magnets to construct clear, detailed pictures of brain and spinal cord tissues. Recent brain lesions are more typical in ADEM, but can also happen in MS. Old "inactive" lesions usually indicate MS, which often causes brain lesions before symptoms become obvious.

Your child may also have a lumbar puncture or spinal tap to determine if there are abnormalities in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The CSF is the fluid that bathes, cushions and protects the brain and spinal cord. It flows through the skull and spine in the subarachnoid space, which is the area inside the arachnoid membrane. Typically, in ADEM, CSF contains abnormally elevated levels of white blood cells and protein.

A diagnosis of ADEM is based upon an evaluation of your child's symptoms along with the results of their physical exam and tests.

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Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated August 15, 2007