Introduction:
The ventricles of the brain are a series of interconnected spaces that produce, transport, and store the spinal fluid. When lesions are formed along these ventricles, an MRI image depicts a shape resembling a finger. These forms are referred to as Dawson's fingers. The condition has been named after the Scottish pathologist Dr. James Dawson, who discovered these elongated, finger-resembling lesions in the early 20th century. Dawson's fingers are frequently linked to multiple sclerosis.
On the other hand, these lesions might also be an indication of other neurological conditions. The article below discusses the diagnostic image of Dawson's fingers, their relation to multiple sclerosis, and any other neurological conditions that their presence may suggest.
What Does It Mean by Dawson’s Fingers?
Dawson's fingers appear to be elongated, with bright white shapes that extend at right angles from the brain ventricles on an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). The severity of the condition influences the size of the lesions.
When other symptoms, such as difficulty moving or thinking, accompany Dawson's finger lesions, it can be easier for a doctor to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS).
Chronic MS attacks the brain and spinal cord, also known as the central nervous system (CNS). When the immune system becomes extremely sensitive and begins to attack the body, the symptoms appear.
Myelin, a fatty sheath that covers the nerve cells, is attacked by immune cells in people with multiple sclerosis. Demyelination is the term for this process. Without myelin, nerves cannot effectively transmit and receive information, which results in a variety of symptoms that vary from person to person. Dawson's finger is a useful symptom of MS, given this range of symptoms.
How Is Dawson’s Fingers and Multiple Sclerosis Associated?
In 1916, Dr. James Walker Dawson saw a theme of plaques in the cerebrums of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Now, these so-called lesions, which doctors refer to as Dawson's fingers, are a typical symptom of multiple sclerosis. The majority of MS patients in a 2014 study had Dawson's finger, according to the researchers. The same participants' brains were examined by two researchers. One researcher found Dawson's fingers in 92.5 percent of MS patients, while the other found them in 77.5 percent.
Plaques form in the brain after demyelination, and brain scans can frequently reveal these. A band of nerve fibers that connect the left and right hemispheres of the brain is where Dawson's finger grows. Around veins in the ventricles of the brain, the plaques form at right angles.
However, a brain scan showing Dawson's fingers alone is not enough for a doctor to diagnose MS. Before confirming an MS diagnosis, a doctor may look for evidence of at least one attack and one lesion, depending on the type of evidence and the affected body part.
The spread, or dissemination, of Dawson's lesion throughout the nervous system is evaluated by doctors when they examine the lesion. Dissemination in space (DIS) of a lesion proposes the degree of the sickness' spread, while dissemination in time (DIT) can recommend various attacks. The spread of the lesion can act as a predictable marker for a doctor to detect how the disease will progress.
Before diagnosing MS, a doctor must find no evidence that the symptoms were brought on by another condition, such as an infection or brain injury.
Dawson's fingers are just one example of the damage that could indicate multiple sclerosis. The doctor of an affected person may continue to monitor them if a brain scan reveals Dawson's fingers without any other symptoms or if they have only had one MS attack. A person may not receive a definitive diagnosis of MS until they exhibit additional symptoms.
What Are the Other Tests for Multiple Sclerosis?
Not just Dawson's fingers, but MRI brain and spinal cord scans for multiple changes in the central nervous system (CNS) may be performed during the examination procedure. Demyelination of the brain and spinal cord will be examined by doctors. Brain scans can also be used to keep track of how MS changes over time.
Lesions in a part of the brain that does not cause MS symptoms sometimes show up on scans. However, these lesions provide an early indication that a person may eventually experience symptoms of the condition.
A person can begin treatment early and address symptoms before they become disruptive with this intervention.
The following are additional tests that can back up an MS diagnosis:
-
Lumbar Puncture: This can be used to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by a doctor. Oligoclonal bands may be present in this spinal fluid. These bands are the result of autoimmune activity in the CSF and could be a sign of multiple CNS inflammatory disorders, including MS.
-
Evoked Potentials Test: This test looks at how the nerves are communicating with each other by measuring electrical activity in the brain.
-
Optical Coherence Tomography: Using imaging, this method examines the nerves in the back of the eye, which may also indicate certain issues.
The doctor will also check to see if any other illness has caused the onset of symptoms. The doctor can decide which tests are best for confirming MS and ruling out other conditions by looking at the patient's symptoms and history.
What Other Disorders Can Be Indicated Through Dawson’s Fingers?
Although Dawson's fingers do not necessarily indicate multiple sclerosis, these finger-like markings on brain imaging typically signal the need for additional testing.
When these images are seen on an MRI, multiple sclerosis is typically the cause, but other conditions may also be associated with them. These are some:
-
Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve).
-
Diabetes mellitus (increased blood sugar).
-
Cerebral small vessel disease (chronic progressive disease affecting all the blood vessels).
-
Neuromyelitis optica (immune system damaging the spinal cord and optic nerve).
-
Transverse myelitis (inflammation of both sides of one section of the spinal cord).
-
Guillain-Barré syndrome (immune system attacks the nerves).
Conclusion:
Dawson's fingers are a sign of some kind of neurologic disease, not a symptom. Dawson's fingers are most common in people with multiple sclerosis, but not everyone with MS gets them, and people with other conditions could also get it. To assist in the diagnosis of a variety of neurological conditions, a doctor may conduct imaging studies of the brain. On an MRI, Dawson's fingers could raise suspicions of MS, but a final diagnosis should take other tests and examinations into account.
