The Medical clinics of North America
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Acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS) are a heterogenous group of inflammatory demyelinating conditions that include presentations of optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, and acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis. They can be monophasic or can develop into relapsing episodes of the initial demyelinating event or evolve to include other types of demyelination. ⋯ Differentiating between these subtypes is important for the optimal management of these patients. Clinical features, labs (especially autoantibodies), and MRI findings can help to differentiate between the different ADS.