Would MRI of nech show Chiari

[brethor]

Hi All! Just another quick question???? my neuro has ordered an MRI of my neck....would a Chiari show on that?

Thanks

[selmaS]

  Hi...as everyone else mentioned , yes a cervical MRI will show if u have a herniation of the cerebral tonsils...a brain MRI shows if it is true chiari....and if u have over crowding....many chiari specialists will have u get a brain MRI, w/wo contrast....a cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine MRI's.....the lumbar helps rule out tethered cord, and the lumbar and thoracic also rule out a syrinx in those areas as well as the cervical where they tend to look and then stop....

As KLB mentioned we here on the forum call the issues with drs the royal chiari runnaround!!

  "selma"

[KLB519]

My Chiari was diagnosed my a neck MRI aswell and then I saw a nerourgeon in only two weeks time! (amazing here in Canada lol ) though he is not a Chiari specialist
Our Health care system can suck but from what I have read of our friends in the USA they have gotten the royal Chiari run around too :( Hang tight !!

[LisaM46]

Yes, it will show on the neck mri - this is how I was initially diagnosed.  If you go to my profile, you can see my mri shots.  It is obvious which one's are neck only.  Of course, they needed the full brain mri prior to making the surgery decision.  So, unless they do it much differently in Canada, it should show.
Lisa

[brethor]

Thanks for your help! Yes I do get bad headaches....especially in the back of my head and constant head pressure and lightheadedness among alot of other symptoms. Unfortunately my neuro wont do another of my head because she did the MRA which was negative. My undserstanding is that this would not show a Chiari anyway but....I was hoping the MRI of the neck would. I live in Canada and here you cannot just request tests everything has to be approved by a dr.......very frustrating when you are dealing with an undiagnosed illness

Bren

[pamk5]

Yes it can show some but in order to see the best views it needs to include the brain. Chiari is actually a small posterior fossa... the back of the skull is mishapen or misformed causing the cerebellar tonsils to be pushed downwards.  So a neck MRI may show some herniation but it may not show the skull it just depends where they cut at.  Are you having headaches?  If so ask for a brain MRI while you are there.