MRI Results

[shawnie31]

I am very confused and cannot' find any info on the net regarding my MRI results. I will write word for word what the radiologists dictated maybe someone out there can help. I have been referred to a Neurologist but unsure when my appt. will be at this time.

MRI done Feb 7/09,
MRI machine was a 1.5 Tesla.
"Several small punctate foci of high signal on the T2 WII in the subcortical white matter of both frontal lobes. These are not specific in distribution or appearance. If ongoring clinical concern with respect to demyelinating disease persists, this study can serve as a baseline for subsequent follow up.

Can anyone help with this???

[terece183]

Hi i just read a few comments and i am having a few symptoms as some of you. i have been suffering with this for like 4-5 years. I've had several CT of the brain in the past that came back negative and good. Last week now being a year- two years later i get an abnormal CT of my brain which led to an MRI test which identified and questions a possible chiari malformation. also states there is cerebellar tonsillar ectopia with beaked cerebellar tonsils.  (impression): cerebellar tonsil ectopia compatible with a mild chiari I malformation. does anyone knows what this means. i am scheduled to see a neurologist on the 20th of march. my symptoms are tight pressure headaches, stiff neck, off balance, numbness in my legs and tight pressure around my eyes i also have vision problems. Everything seems very bright.

[Quixotic1]

Hi, Connie, I missed you here in the middle of Shawnie's post.  I invite you to start your own thread and tell us about yourself.  It looks like you are in your mid-30s (right?) and you are wondering if you have MS.

Your MRI shows that you have really small spots of brightness in an area of the brain that often shows tiny scars from vascular disease like high blood pressure, migraine disease and such.  MS can show up this way, but it would not be a typical way for it to show up.

Please "Post a question" and let us all get to know you and what is going on with you.

Quix

[Connie1973]

I hd MRI and am having some of the same issues. Numbness in the left side of face, head, tight feeling in head  My MRI results are:
Tiny foci of mildly increased T2 signals in the subcortical white matter of both frontal lobes.  This non specific finding most likely represents sequelae of migraine headaches or mild chronic microvasculat ischerpic changes.  MRI of the brain is otherwise negative.  Small amount of fluid in bot mastoild tips.

Can someone help me understand.

[shawnie31]

Hi there,

Thanks for sharing all of your info with me but I really think you need to ask some of the more seasoned medhelpers around.. I'm in the same boat as you are..searching for answers.. I can't tell you anything helpful at this time. That's good that you will have your MRI next week. It takes a while to get the results though.. Hang in there hopefully someone can give you some answers soon, it sounds like your goign through alot..

Shawnie31

[Kikayg]

Hi again ,

I saw these doctors in 2008 but now with my MRI of the brain I have an appointment this coming week. Do you think that this is MS? I'am asian and had a car accident in 2006 . I felt this burning, shooting sensation in my back... Do you think this is from my car accident?

What do you think of my MRI results? This sound like a beginning of MS?

Thanks,

Kikayg

[Kikayg]

Hi Shawnie,

I'm 46 years old I just celebrated my birthday lat week march 4th and I thank God for all His wonderful blessings.Please ask me any questions I really don't mind. I'm just tired of all my symptoms and it's bothering me a lot. I was seen by many doctors GI, ENDO, RA,INFECTIOUS DISEASE,NEURO,and the obly thing they found is I have a very low Vitamin D. I'm taking 50,000 U once a week. I have this constant electric sensation in my back,sometimes legs are week,I can fight this just give me a diagnosis. Yes, it's almost 2 years now. More prominent this year....had accupuncture, chiropractor, and belive it or not I became a distributor of the MONAVIE and I tahnk God for this miracle juice that gives me all the energy.I will tell you more of my progress. I hope you can find peace in Him please pray for us. Just remember He is in control....

Kikayg

[shawnie31]

Hi there,

Were both in the same boat at this time. We have very similar situations our MRI results as well as our symptoms. Unfortunately, I too am just learning about all of this and I'm awaiting my neuro appt. Your lucky your getting your appt. Hopefully you will get some answers. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?? Not that it matters just wondering how long have you been feeling this way?? I am really enjoying this site the people here are very knowledgeable and it helps to hear from others so that you don't feel like the only one out there.. Take care,

Shawnie

[Kikayg]

Hi to all,
I just want to say that I'am new and would like to ask some of you if you can interpret my MRI of the brain.
Very small punctate foci of increased signal intensity are seen in the subcortical frontal lobe white matter.There is minimal increased signal intensity in the periventricular white matter. This is nonspecific. However, in a young patient ,demyelination maybe considered.

I have been having weakness in both legs, tingling around my lips, feels tireds and weak,shooting pain in my back, all muscles are very sore and tender.Feeling my head sometimes is tight,eyes feel different. I will see my neurologist on Monday. Very anxious it can be MS. Feel free to give your opinion. Thanks in advance.  

[shawnie31]

Hi there,

I do have a copy of the radiologists interpretation only. I don't have the actual scans of my head and spine. I didn't ask for them so I'm unsure if I can get them. I have been writing a journal since October 08, this was at my GP's request. I make little notes here and there the only thing that's obvious to me at this time is that my symptoms do go away and return roughly about every 30 to 40 days and last from 6 to 10 days. I will see the internist one more time at the end of April just to go over the last stretch of lab work that was done.

Thanks for your input!!

[LLWB]

The only comment I would like to add is this.is it possible for you as a Canadian to get copies of your MRI, and the Radiologists report? I don't know what rules apply in Canada. You should start a journal of your symptoms, when they happen, what your were doing that might have set them off, temp variations. Could become important down the line. Good luck, and I hope you get your appt soon.  I agree, ditch the internist as fast as possible!

[shawnie31]

Thanks for the info... Once I see the neuro in Ottawa I will hopefully know more.. I will post when my appointment will be.

[Ufrustrated2]

your internist is totally mis-informed. seek continuing advice elsewhere! trust me & others on this list, we've been there and such information wastes your time to getting a correct dx and treatment. i will say though, such scenarios do seem the norm for most of us on this particular road.

[shawnie31]

Thanks for you replies!! I really  appreciate the feedback at this time, I kind of feel alone in this uncertain time.. I am very positive though and do my best to enjoy everyday, I have a wonderful husband and a happy and healthy son to be greatful for..

I hope I answer most of your questions...

GP, so far has been great.. no mention yet of rushing the neuro appt. I'm pretty certain I will be getting a call soon to schedule an appt. but the neuro is 9hrs away from where I live. So that might be the only delay is scheduling an appt. that works with my husbands work schedule as well. I don't want to drive alone.

I agree about your comments with the Internist, he's the only one we have here in town. He's very knowledgeable but maybe not when it comes to neuro issues. I'm not holding my breath with him but I will continue to have the testing done. He did say that my B12 is good it was tested twice and both times levels were where they should be.

Now the other interesting thing is, following my issue with Vertigo this past summer I was referred to our EENT in Aug 08 and I just had my appt with him Feb 27/09. That's how crazy things are around here.. Once he was done his assessment he told me that my vertigo was most likely not caused by an inner ear issue. I told him that I was awaiting my MRI results so he looked them up on his system because his office is in our hospital so he would have access to my results. He said, well I don't want to step on anyones toes but theirs definitely something showing on your MRI. He left it at that because he knew I was seeing my family dr right after I was done with him. When I saw my family dr that same day I was told that my results don't necessarily point to MS and she didn't feel like their was much wrong with my MRI results. So I was slightly confused, but she also said that I will be referred to a neuro to follow-up because of my symptoms.

So for now, this is where I stand!! Thank you all so much for your warm welcome, I am a very strong person and understand that we can't always control certain things in our lives so we have to make the best of it..

Take care!! Shawnie

[Quixotic1]

Welcome to our forum.  We have a lot of your countrymen here.  I'm so sorry about the fears that have been raised with your MRI and the possibility of MS.

I, too, have to get indignant about the comment made by your internist.   You live in an area that has one of the highest incidence of MS in the world.  Somewhere around 1 in every 250 people in Canada have MS.  Your internist should be a little more familiar with the basic signs of MS.  

Visual problems are common, but not at all mandoatory in MS.  Some people with MS never have any visual symptoms at all!  I have MS and am one of those who has never had a problem.

Your MRI does not have a "classic" appearance of MS.  Your lesions are described as "punctate" - this means they are very small, usually 2mm or less.  They appear to be all in the "subcortical area."  While MS does often cause lesions there, disorders that have to do with small blood vessels (arteries) are usually felt to be the culprits - things like high blood pressure and migraines.  We often hear of neurologists who discount lesions that have that description by the radiologist.

Now, none of us can tell you here - online - that you do or do not have MS.  I am just preparing you for a possible repsonse by the neurologist.

What is more important in diagnosing MS is what your history of symptoms has been like.  It does sound like you have had many "attacks."  And the things you are complaining about certainly are things that are seen in MS (and some other diseases).This is important, for the most common form of MS is called Relapsing Remitting MS or the kind that comes in discreet attacks and then improves for a while.  The neurologist should do a very thorough neurological exam - head to toe - looking for abnormalities that might indicate a demyelinating disease.

If you have both a history of more than one attack and you have exam abnormalities in more than one area of the nervous system, then the neurologist looks at the MRI for lesions that are consistent with a demyelinating disease.  This you do have, even though it is not a classic picture.

BUT - there are many disorders and diseases that can look just like MS.  It is mandatory that they test you for all of these mimics.  You can't be diagnosed with MS until the mimics, like Lyme Disease, Lupus, B12 Deficiency, and many others have been ruled out.  The good thing is that ruling out these other diseases is done by running a whole batch of blood tests.

I hope you stay with us.  This is a hard time, while you are waiting for the neurologist appointment and for all the testing.  We can provide information, friendship and support along the way.

Quix, MD (but I was not a neurologist)

[essdipity]

Hi and welcome. Lulu is right---that internist is a jerk, and a dangerous one, because he's handing out wrong information and knows nothing about MS. Get rid of him.

All your symptoms sound very much like MS, I'm sad to say. Your MRI is abnormal but hasn't yet been pinned down to MS. You need a lot more tests, and the end of April is too long to wait. Possibly something else is going on that can be fixed more easily, and possibly this is MS, but either way you need attention. Can you do anything to get a prompt neuro appointment? If not, a good GP could be of help. Yours is NOT good.

Please keep us posted.

ess

[Lulu54]

Hi Shawnie, you wrote -
"I have seen an internist a few weeks ago and he told me that if I wasn't going blind in one eye and if I don't see double then it's not possible it's MS."

I just have to say wrong, wrong wrong!  I have had no visions problems, even though for so many people the first symtom of MS is optic neuritis. My vision is 20/20 - just had it rechecked in the fall right after my DX for a baseline . I don't see double and I definitely use both of my eyes.  

the thing about MS that is so difficult is that no two of us aare alike in our presentation of symptoms.

I hope you will stick around and take thetime to learn more about MS.  It can be a fairly daunting prospect and we're here to help if you need it.

my best,
Lulu

[shawnie31]

Thanks so much for your prompt answers and thank you for your warm welcomes!!

I was just reffered last week to a neuro in Ottawa, Ontario. Not sure how long the wait is.

My symptoms started to be more noticeable to me shortly after I was recovering from a total hysterectomy (for endometriosis which took docs 7yrs to find because I was Dx with Crohns disease in 2002) hysterectomy was done June 08'. My recovery went well, 8wks in was struck with Vertigo and was not able to function for approx 6wks.

My symptoms are not present everyday, they show up for 6 to 10 days then I feel perfectly fine for 30 to 40 days in between.

Symptoms:

- Leaking urnine, (which I always thought was cause of my endo.)
-Legs feel like they have been stretched a mile and rolled over(thought I was out of shape)
- Blurred vision, (this is very disturbing at times but the optometrist said everything looks good)
-Lots of tingling.....head and face especially... feet at times but mostly my scalp.
-Fatigue, feels very different from when your just pooped out.
-Memory, difficulty remembering what to say, peoples name doesn't come to mind when I see them (even though I know the person)
-A few occasions I have dropped plates or have placed items that didn't belong in a cupboard and should have gone in the fridge, but I actually stopped myself  before doing it.
-Multi-tasking is difficult when my symptoms are present. Like, driving and listening to my son talk and trying to concentrate where I'm suppose to go is hard. Or when I'm preparing a meal and my son or husband is taking to me I have difficulty remembering what to do next.

Theirs more, but these are the ones I get mostly when my symptoms show up..

I have seen an internist a few weeks ago and he told me that if I wasn't going blind in one eye and if I don't see double then it's not possible it's MS. He is sending me for more lab work I have a follow up with him at the end of April.

Thanks for your interest I really feel helpless at this time, because I haven't shared much of this info with friends or family because theirs no Dx yet and I feel silly explaining all and what if it's nothing at all. I would rather wait, but it's making it hard at times to function at work. I work shifts so night shifts I can keep to myself alot but dayshifts are hard on me.

I will anxiously await your info!! thanks again Shawnie (this is what my husband calls me)

[jensequitur]

>  Several small punctate foci of high signal on the T2 WII in the subcortical white matter of both frontal lobes.

Punctate foci are small lesions.  They show up as small white dots on the MRI.  They are not normal - don't let the neuro tell you they are!  However, many neuros regard them as UBOs - unidentified bright objects - and often ignore them.  You have them in the white matter of both lobes, but the radiologist didn't find a pattern to their distribution.  If you're exhibiting symptoms that indicate you might have a demyelinating disease, then the neuro should continue testing.  

Hope this helps!

[uk2]

Hi and welcome i am not an expect and there will be many more who are on here but i would say that they are saying with your sx history whatever that might be that the neuro takes this into account when making his dx.

It could mean that there is concern there for alot more follow up if you carry on having these sx.

I hope quix or the others will give you there opinions soon.

good luck, when do you see the neuro??

sam

[saveone]

I am not a dr but I will give it a try.  If I am wrong others will correct me...please!

Areas of high signal represent the possibility of a lesion/s...in your case in the subcortical white matter of both frontal lobes.  It does not mean you have lesion/s or a demylenating disease.  That would be why you were referred to a neuro.. If you get a good one he/she can do a neurological exam and make an educated determination in regards to if there appears to be some disfunctioning and if further investigation/testing is needed.

Would you mind posting a little about yourself and why you had the MRI.  Were you presenting with symptoms?

That being said, let me welcome you to our forum.  It is a great place to network with others who are experiencing or know someone who is experiencing the journey to and through an MS dx.  I am looking forward to getting to know you.

terry