Autoimmune Neurology

In this month's "Hot Topic," Eoin Flanagan, M.B., B. Ch., discusses the important issue of autoimmune encephalitis misdiagnosis and identifies red flags that be useful in clinical practice to suggest alternative diagnoses and highlight antibodies that sometimes cause confusion.

PACE
In this month’s “Virtual Lecture” Eoin Flanagan, M.D., B.Ch., reviews how to diagnose autoimmune encephalitis, what to watch that may suggest a different diagnosis, discuss neural autoantibodies interpretation and putting test results into clinical context.

Education on this topic decreases misdiagnosis and the possibility of misinterpreting the comments provided by the reporting laboratories.

Ed Garber spent months in physical and neurological decline while a cohort of care providers and specialists searched for the root cause of his symptoms. That search for answers ended after testing by Mayo Clinic Laboratories gave them the confirmatory diagnosis they needed.

Divyanshu (Div) Dubey, M.B.B.S., describes Mayo Clinic Laboratories' new diagnostic test for CIDP, or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The new test detects two antibodies — NF155 and CNTN1 — to enhance diagnosis and guide treatment decisions. Often misdiagnosed, CIDP is treatable if detected early.

This July, Mayo Clinic’s Neuroimmunology Laboratory will showcase its revolutionary approach to autoimmune neurology testing at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Summer Conference: Autoimmune Neurology and Neurology Year in Review in San Francisco. During the meeting, Mayo Clinic Laboratories representatives will highlight our growing list of disease-specific tests and discuss how results can inform decision-making and improve treatment outcomes.

PACE/State of CA/State of FL - In this month’s “Virtual Lecture,” John Mills, Ph.D., provides information related to work that has been done in Mayo Clinic’s neuroimmunology laboratory which has played a central role in driving the field of autoimmune neurology. Over time it has driven an increase in testing volume, a number of different testing platforms, testing complexity, and a constant influx of novel laboratory-developed tests.

Join Mayo Clinic’s autoimmune neurology testing leaders for a live Zoom Q&A discussion as they discuss the rationale behind and benefits of Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ streamlined, phenotype-specific approach to testing for autoimmune neurological disorders.

Alicia Algeciras, Ph.D., describes Mayo Clinic Laboratories’ new blood test to detect NFLC, or neurofilament light chain protein. NFLC is a biomarker for several neurodegenerative conditions. The new assay can determine if a patient’s cognitive decline is due to a neurodegenerative condition or some other, reversible condition — while avoiding the need for more-invasive testing of cerebrospinal fluid.

Mayo Clinic Laboratories is leading an evolution in autoimmune neurology diagnosis. To better reflect this testing evolution, and to reduce confusion and improve utilization for our clients, effective April 28, we are renaming our phenotype-specific evaluations.

Andrew McKeon, M.B., B.Ch., M.D., an expert in neuroimmunology, joins the "Answers From the Lab" podcast for a conversation with Bobbi Pritt, M.D. In this episode, Dr. McKeon and Dr. Pritt discuss how Mayo Clinic is pioneering advancements in the field of autoimmune neurology, how these discoveries were made, and why they are important to both patients and physicians.

PACE/State of CA/State of FL - Presentation Recording Coming Soon -
This “Specialty Testing” webinar will discuss the considerations physicians must weigh when evaluating suspected neuropathy patients with special emphasis put on small-fiber neuropathy and the most appropriate laboratory testing related to that phenotype.

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed and validated a new antibody test to diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS). The new test is an automated and cost-effective method compared to other tests used to diagnose MS, according to the research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The test is now available through Mayo Clinic Laboratories.