Introduction:

Multiple sclerosis is one of the main causes of disability in young people. It has characteristic lesions in magnetic resonance images which are part of diagnosis criteria, and some of them could predict a long-term disability. In mexican population there is no description about multiple sclerosis imaging characteristics.

Materials and methods:

We performed an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, and retrolective study at the Neurology Service of Specialties Hospital of Siglo XXI National Medical Center of Mexican Social Security Institute, in Mexico, evaluating magnetic resonance images characteristics of patients with multiple sclerosis diagnosis between January 2017 and January 2020.

Results:

75 patients were included, 8% had 1-3 T2-weighted lesions, 18.6% had 4-9 T2-weighted lesions, and 73.3% had 10 or more T2-weighted lesions. 50.6% had infratentorial lesions and 61.3% had spinal cord lesions. Gadolinium enhancing lesions were found in 48%, with a median of lesions 2 (IQR 1,3).

Conclusions:

Mexican patients with multiple sclerosis have a great incidence of magnetic resonance image poor prognosis factors, which should lead to a closer follow-up and influence treatment options.