MRI report, help with interpretation?

[steph74]

I just received a copy of my latest brain MRI report. It wasn't done with an MS protocol, so I knew it wasn't necessarily looking for lesions (and none were mentioned), but this is what it does say:

Impression:
1. Normal or nearly normal MRI examination of the brain w/o contrast.
2. There is a very slight asymmetry of the lateral ventricle temporal horns, right minimally larger than left, sometimes seen with slight atrophy of the right hippocampal formation.

I know it says "normal or nearly normal" and therefore I shouldn't worry about this, but I also know that this is a change, since I've never had any asymmetry mentioned in an MRI report before (first MRI was 6.5 years ago).

So, other than seeing that asymmetry in the temporal horns can be correlated with Alzheimers and schizophrenia (man my spelling is awful these days!)--both of which I'm 99.9% sure I don't have!--I can't really find anything about this.  Does anyone have any idea what this actually means?  Also, does the "sometimes seen with..." mean that in some people there is a atrophy of the right hippocampal formation when there is asymmetry in the temporal horns or that on some of my images there was atrophy?

If this finding had been there consistently, I wouldn't be concerned, but this is definitely something I haven't seen before.  

Thanks.

Stephanie

[steph74]

I contacted my neuro yesterday about getting started on IV solumedrol (first dose this am, went fine, I can do the next two at home).  While I had her on the phone I asked about the MRI report.  She thought it wasn't anything to worry about, though understood my asking (who wouldn't be concerned when they see "brain atrophy" listed on a report?)  She said she would want to be absolutely certain that I was positioned right in the machine, because if you're a little off it can appear that the sides are different.  

I guess if nothing else appears, I'll just hope this doesn't show up again in the next MRI next year.  :-)

Stephanie

[steph74]

Thanks for the idea.  I know at one point I had both films and a cd with the images from my old MRIs, I suspect I got rid of them at some point, though.  I could request them again from the hospital though, if they still have them.  At the very least I could get another copy of the reports that do not mention atrophy.

Quix or anyone else?  Any thoughts?

[sllowe]

Hi Steph,

I'm sorry, I just don't know either.  However, if you still have your old imaging, I'd ask them to do a comparison.  That way, they can make an addendum to the report .....

Just a thought - belated welcome too -and I'm glad you are on w/a specialist!

[steph74]

Oh, I should add that my MS neuro doesn't have a copy of this report.  It was ordered by a nurse practitioner several months ago when I went to see her with a complaint of an on-going, very bad headache.  (Later developed bilater TN, sensory loss in left foot, ataxia, etc that sent me back to an MS specialist.)