Help with MRI report

[jenkit]

For the past three months I have been having numbness, tingling in feet and hands, horrible headaches, eye pain, and find it hard to concentrate at times.I went for an MRI/MRA a couple of weeks ago and the doctor ordered a re-read to compare it against an MRI I had 9 years ago. I was having the same symptoms then as well.

Can anyone tell me what this means?

The large focus of gliosis posterior left frontal lobe is seen on the prior exam. White matter disease seen on prior image is stable on the more current exam. There are new foci seen on the current exam subcortical bilaterally not appreciated previously. Normal signal flow void is seen in the major intracranial vasculature.

Please correlate with the patient’s history, as the patient is young to have these findings. The differential diagnosis for small vessel occlusive disease does include diabetes, connective tissue disease, lyme disease, migraines, high blood pressure, and multiple emboli. The findings are nonspecific.

Asymmetry in the lateral ventricle size is unchanged from prior imaging. The paranasal sinuses are clear.

The distribution of the foci seen, are not typical for multiple sclerosis although it cannot be entirely excluded. The largest focus that is stable since prior imaging. Measures approximately 12 mm transverse and 5 mm in vertical height. Therefore, please correlate with patients clinical findings.

On examination it is evident that there is prominence of the left temporal horn and the left hippocampus is atrophic when compared with the right side. Are the patients seizure localized to this area?

[Karen99]

You might also try posting your question to Dr. Kantor, a neurologist at this link:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/show/322

[Karen99]

Hi.  I don't want you to feel ignored on this forum, but what you are asking is a very difficult question.  There are some abnormalities seen, what they mean I cannot even start to guess except that there are a few possibilities named in the 2nd paragraph.

Also stated is "correlate with patient clinical findings"  This is important because the diagnosis cannot be made entirely by an MRI.   A competent neurologist will want to know your specific symptoms, how they have or have not changed over the years, etc. An important thing for you to know at this point is to be sure to be following up with a neurologist.

One more thing.  There is no mention of injecting a dye to see if any of the lesions "enhance."  With multiple sclerosis, using a gandolium dye is protocol to get the full story.   I'm not sure if dye is used in the other diseases stated.  

Go to the "Health Pages" section on this page, up on the upper right hand corner.  There is good information there concerning the symptoms of MS and info on MRI's.