MS & Autoimmune Disease - Mayo Clinic in Arizona

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases can be difficult to diagnose. In order to get the correct and most effective treatment, you need an accurate diagnosis by experts. At Mayo Clinic, our experts are world leaders in MS and autoimmune disease testing and diagnosis, and have developed the tests that led to the diagnosis, discovery, and treatment of many autoimmune diseases.

Our multiple sclerosis program has earned a national reputation as a top diagnostic and treatment center. When you come to Mayo Clinic, you’ll have a team of specialists who are experts in:

Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)
Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody Disease (MOGAD)
Transverse myelitis
Optic neuritis
Neurosarcoidosis
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating diseases
Paraneoplastic neurological disorders
Stiff person syndrome

Mayo Clinic is recognized for our multidisciplinary approach to patient care, and for advanced research into better medications and other treatments. Our experts provide comprehensive care for more than 3,500 adults and children with MS each year.

Your neurologist will bring together an expert multispecialty team that might include:

Physiatrists (physical medicine and rehabilitation)
Urologists
Psychiatrists and Phycologists
Neuro-ophthalmologists

Symptoms of MS and other autoimmune diseases may affect multiple body systems. Your team will work with you to ensure you get exactly the care you need.

At Mayo Clinic, your test results are available quickly and your appointments are scheduled in coordination. What might take months to accomplish elsewhere can typically be done in only a matter of days at Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic remains a leader in healthcare innovation, applying advanced technologies like the 7-Tesla MRI to help improve patient care. We analyze your brain tissue using advanced approaches, so we can make treatment decisions that are more precise and personalized for you.

7 – Tesla MRI - This imaging system uses a stronger magnetic field to produce more detailed images of the body's interior. Detailed brain scans help Mayo Clinic care teams diagnose and treat patients with Multiple Sclerosis. This advanced imaging technology is key to ensuring patients receive an accurate diagnosis to guide treatment.

This image displays the radiology scanned imaging from a 3 Tesla MRI. The 3 Tesla MRI, while using a less powerful magnetic field compared to the 7 Tesla MRI, still provides clear and detailed images of the body's interior. It is commonly used in clinical settings to diagnose and monitor various medical conditions, offering valuable insights for patient care and treatment planning. However, the clarity of the images produced by the 3 Tesla MRI is not as high as that of the 7 Tesla MRI, which can impact the level of detail visible in the scans.

Mayo Clinic experts continually study new diagnostic and treatment options, which they test through clinical trials. Our clinician-researchers and scientists have long been leaders in advancing the understanding and treatment of MS and other autoimmune neurological disorders. We conduct clinical research, laboratory studies and clinical trials to study causes, genetics, disease progression and potential new treatments.

Here are examples of how Mayo Clinic’s approach is advancing diagnostics and treatment to give people new hope, answers, and options.

Mayo Clinic researchers have demonstrated in laboratory research that normalizing enzyme levels disrupted by a high-fat diet can lead to enhanced myelin regeneration. The results shed light on the association of obesity with MS and suggest a potential strategy for improving the course of demyelinating diseases.

Mayo Clinic researchers also validated a new antibody test for MS diagnosis. Results are available in about 20 minutes. The cerebrospinal fluid test measures immunoglobulin kappa free light chains rather than oligoclonal bands, which is the target of current gold standard testing.

Mayo Clinic was one of the first clinics to treat MS with interferons, and also developed plasma exchange – a treatment we have successfully used for more than 20 years.

Our researchers also were the first to discover that a certain type of T cell (CD8) plays a critical role in causing nerve damage in MS. This discovery may lead to new drugs to slow or stop that nerve damage.

Leading Experts in MS and Autoimmune Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

Mayo Clinic Explains Multiple Sclerosis

Why Choose Mayo Clinic

Care plans and treatment options personalized to you.

7-Tesla MRI

Recognized expertise you can trust.

The power of advanced diagnostics.

Seeing the unseeable with new imaging technology.

Research advancements that improve clinical care.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).

Multiple sclerosis.

Nationally recognized for expertise.

Many insurance plans accepted.

Contact us to request an appointment.