MRI With/Without contrast..

Three weeks ago I had an MRI done. In doing so, they found lessions in my brain and spine. Yesterday, I had an MRI done with contrast. My PCP told me that they need to compare the previous MRI with the one I recently had with contrast. Can anyone out there tell me what they are looking for?

Matthew

[Amyloo]

Hi Matthew,

The contrast MRI may show lesions that are active; the contrast can make any activity "glow", so they can see things they may not be able to see without contrast.  Sorry to hear you are going through testing.  It may be too late for a lot of the members on this board to answer you tonight (I am on West coast) but you will probably have more responses by tomorrow.  God bless you, Amy

[Quixotic1]

Hi!

In an MRI the MS lesions which are new and have "active" inflammation around them are even brighter than older lesions. So when they compare the newest MRI to the one you had three weeks ago they will look for two things.

1) Enhancement around any of the lesions they saw on the first MRI.  This will be seen as part or all of the lesion being brighter.

2) Lesions that are so new that they are only on this MRI.  This means the lesions have developed since the first MRI.  These lesions would also enhance because they are new.  New lesions have inflammation.  The contrast makes inflamed areas show up as extra bright.

So they want to see which lesions are very new and if any have developed in the last three weeks.

Does this make sense?

Quix