MRI results

[GrammyNina]

I had an MRI and my Dr's nurse called and told me that everything was "good" and I ask about MS and she told me NO nothing showed up... later that night I recieved the online results and this is what they said:

1. No convincing evidence of abnormal enhancing lesion or acute ischemic change.
2. Mild right ethmoid mucosal sinus disease.
3. Small foci of abnormal T2 and FLAIR signal within the periventricular and subcortical white matter. These few small areas of abnormal signal are non-specific but may represent microangiopathic changes of aging. Other etiologies including demyelinating/dysmyelinating disease should be considered.

Should I call the Dr. and ask about these? It is 6/29/15 and my next visit isnt until Sept. 2015

[immisceo]

And then I misspelt it! FLAIR.

[immisceo]

FLARE is actually just an anagram for the sequence used (FLuid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery). Perhaps he wasn't dismissing it, but just didn't know you had interpreted that to mean a lesion. (unless the wording was more like "foci imaged in T2 FLARE or something in which case it means lesions seen during that sequence which can give a clue to the type or possible cause of the lesion)

[SarahL2491]

and not to discourage you, you want to make sure YOUR neuro knows about MS.  Some know nothing and believe what the radiologist says.  I t happened to me 4 times and the 5th neuro read the same MRI (get your own copy) and showed me the lesions……….You can also go where you got the MRI done and ask for a print copy of the "flares".  There may be a fee; but other than that you wait til you see him.

Alex is right, those two comments are usually seen on all, to CYA the radiologist.  My second MIR also contained "flares" which the radiologist dismissed.  I know its hard to wait.  Has he ordered the extensive blood test to rule out the "mimic" diseases?

[HVAC]

The demylating is common in MRI reports. The radiologist has to cover all the bases. The neurologist is more used to what MS lesions look like. Also a neurologist can tell more from a neurological exam, reflexes and such than from a MRI. A lesion could be anything. It is like a shadow. It takes a neurologist to decide what the shadow means.

Alex

[GrammyNina]

The last part about demyelinating disease it what got me wondering. Thank you for your reply.

[GrammyNina]

I am seeing a Neurologist, thanks for your reply, guess I will just wait and see.

[kwarendorf]

Hi GN - Welcome to the group.

You are certainly entitled to clarification of you MRI results. From what you posted it does not sound like any demyelinating lesions were seen. MS related demyelinating lesions have a specific appearence. Had they been seen there would have been mention in the radiology report.

As I said, you are entitled to clarification, but if this were my MRI, and I knew the doc had seen the report, I would not pursue it.

Kyle

[shannon_xray]

I would ask about it and you are very entitled to a second, third, fourth..etc opinion.  Ask to be referred to a neurologist if you aren't already seeing one.  If you are, look for one who specializes in MS