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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Possible MS
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Possible MS
by shadais, Sep 14, 2006 12:00AM
I appreciate the opportunity to post a my question. I had posted a question in August and had the Doctor give me advice and since then I have had a another Mri of the Brain, the first MRI 7/02 stated "Mild increase signal flair in the Periventricular reigionis nonspecific and clincial correlation is recomended". I had a second MRI 11/04 "minimal periventricular T2 bright signal change frontal horns more promient on right". my thrid MRI 9/06
states "Again seen proient periventricular signal on Flair images which appears unchanged on the axial image, but appears more prominent on the sagittal image. no mass affect, shift in midline structure, or extra-axial collections, final slight change in periventricular/ pericallosal signal irregularity as disscussed above". My PCP say's this means nothing and not to worry, but kept asking when I was going to see the Nuero again.
Well can"t see him till October, What doses all this mean,
I also Labs had a ANA, Sed rate, & Lyme profile all normal. I am not a candidate for lumber puncture had on in 1982 and my body had a very bad reaction. do not know why. My syptoms had seemed to subside for a while , but know they are returning. Please help me by explaining what you think these MRI mean.
Thank you
states "Again seen proient periventricular signal on Flair images which appears unchanged on the axial image, but appears more prominent on the sagittal image. no mass affect, shift in midline structure, or extra-axial collections, final slight change in periventricular/ pericallosal signal irregularity as disscussed above". My PCP say's this means nothing and not to worry, but kept asking when I was going to see the Nuero again.
Well can"t see him till October, What doses all this mean,
I also Labs had a ANA, Sed rate, & Lyme profile all normal. I am not a candidate for lumber puncture had on in 1982 and my body had a very bad reaction. do not know why. My syptoms had seemed to subside for a while , but know they are returning. Please help me by explaining what you think these MRI mean.
Thank you
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-SH, Sep 17, 2006 12:00AM
First of all, keep in mind that I am unable to diagnose you because I am unable to examine you, this forum is for educational purposes.
The symptoms that you describe (in your previous post) and the history you provide are consistent with possible MS (multiple sclerosis). Some additional information would be helpful such as a lumbar puncture and visual evoked potentials (as previously suggested). If you had a "reaction" to the lumbar pucture before, you should ask for a lumbar puncture with sedation, with a small needle [22 guage or smaller] (less risk of headache), LPs can also be done under fluoroscopy if the technically difficult. Also there was no mention on contrast in your MRIs. I would recommend a MRI of the brain and C-spine With contrast.
Your MRI findings can be conistent with MS (I cannot tell without actually seeing the films), but periventricular white matter changes can also be seen in hypertension and migraine headaches. I would recommend that you see a neurologist that specializes in MS (such as in a MS center) and ask that person to evaluate all of your films. Periventricular white matter spots that are perpendicular to the corpus callosum, involve the corpus callosum in vertical projections (called Dawsons fingers) and spots that enhance with GAD contrast are most consistent with MS.
I hope this has been helpful.
The symptoms that you describe (in your previous post) and the history you provide are consistent with possible MS (multiple sclerosis). Some additional information would be helpful such as a lumbar puncture and visual evoked potentials (as previously suggested). If you had a "reaction" to the lumbar pucture before, you should ask for a lumbar puncture with sedation, with a small needle [22 guage or smaller] (less risk of headache), LPs can also be done under fluoroscopy if the technically difficult. Also there was no mention on contrast in your MRIs. I would recommend a MRI of the brain and C-spine With contrast.
Your MRI findings can be conistent with MS (I cannot tell without actually seeing the films), but periventricular white matter changes can also be seen in hypertension and migraine headaches. I would recommend that you see a neurologist that specializes in MS (such as in a MS center) and ask that person to evaluate all of your films. Periventricular white matter spots that are perpendicular to the corpus callosum, involve the corpus callosum in vertical projections (called Dawsons fingers) and spots that enhance with GAD contrast are most consistent with MS.
I hope this has been helpful.
I have been experiencing several different symptoms especially sudden lose of balance which causes me to fall. I was diagnosed in 1995 at the age of 35 with fibromalagia and chronic fatigue syndrome at this time I thougth it might be MS. I was diagnosed by a primary care physician not a Neurologist. I have had 3 MRI, one in 2002 that showed increased periventricular
T2 bright signal white matter bilaterally along the frontal horns more prominent on the left than right. The MRI’s in 2004 also showed there was increased white matter. I have been doing some research and I do seem to have symptom that are consistent with MS, but not with FMS. I have experienced everything from tremors to blurry vision to burning sensations.I am due to see a neurologist with in the next few weeks my suspicion is that I
may have MS and it not been diagnosed correctly, it seems that my health has continued to spiral downward.With just some of this information is it posible I may have a valet suspicion about MS.
***@****
Have you had a lumbar puncture? Chronic fatigue syndrome will have a negative lumbar puncture whereas 90-95% of MS patients have abnormal spinal fluid. It's an icky procedure but it may shed some light on what's going on.
Symptoms wise, CSF can cause various neurological symptoms including fatigue that MS can cause. However, CSF can cause some systemic symptoms that MS won't cause such as fevers, and joint and muscle aches.
As for myself, I have the opposite problem that you do. Physicians are labeling me with MS even though I have some atypical things going on. When I press them on it, they either do not acknowledge it or try to pass it off as something else that it cannot possibly be.
cause various syptoms that mimic MS.
I also am aware of the relationship of lesion on MRI compared to other illness. I am as you trying to find another logical explanantion for my syptoms beside MS. I am not a candidate for lumber puncture.
I had one in 1982 and was very ill afterwards, acctualy lost the feeling from the waist down for almost 2 weeks was advised never to attempt another by a leading spinal surgeon in my area.
I never experience fever and I tend to have more short live sprouts of an electrical type pain and I guess because my
syptoms come and go for weeks even moonths at a time they want to label MS. I am strictly using this forum to obtain differant opinions of my syptoms and to educate myself more.
I hope you as well are able to finally figure out or except what dx is more adaquate for you. I wish you all the best.
I'm with you in limboland. It's difficult to know what to do. On one hand, there are MS drugs that may help. However, they're so expensive. Even though I have insurance, I feel guilty being on them if I don't need to. Not to mention the side effects. I've decided though that if I do have MS I'm going to volunteer for a clinical trial. There needs to be more mediations that