Prevalence of brain magnetic resonance imaging meeting Barkhof and McDonald criteria for dissemination in space among headache patients.

Background: Incidental T2 white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in headache patients on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may prompt concern for demyelinating disease.

Objective: We reviewed brain MRI studies in patients with headaches without known demyelinating disease to determine the prevalence meeting imaging criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) using two different definitions of "juxtacortical" and "periventricular".

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing pre- and post-contrast MRI for headaches over a 25-month period were retrospectively identified.