Neurology brain disorders, ms

I had an mri done, and they said i had scattered nonspecific white matter foci in the subcortical white matter, not typical of the demyelinating plaques due to ms, but quite prominent due to patients age, what could this mean?

[COBOB]

How old are you?   Do you have the full radiologist's report?  What are your symptoms?  What labs and studies have been run and what has been ruled out?

"Dawson's Finger" white matter lesions are associated with MS.  Other white matter lesions are associated with migraine disease, vascular brain disease, and ischemic white matter changes.  Vascular and ischemic changes would be rare in a young person.

Bob

[essdipity]

Hello and welcome. We're glad to have you.

Bob is right that Dawson's fingers can be seen in MS. However, these are far from the only types of brain lesions that MSers present with. There are 'classic' lesions and locations, and then there are 'consistent with MS' lesions. Any location in the brain where MS lesions have been proven will fall under the heading of 'consistent.'

If you are quite young, it is abnormal to have any lesions at all. If you are older, you may develop essentially harmless lesions due to the aging process. But people with this finding generally don't know it because they have no symptoms. Why did you have the brain MRI?

If it's because you have MS-like symptoms, then this needs full investigation. Just because your MRI shows abnormalities that are not typical for MS, that doesn't mean it's not MS. The radiologist doesn't know anything about you other than your age. It is up to your neuro to evaluate you from every angle, including physical and lab testing. He or she should also study your MRI imaging indepent of the radiology report. If that doesn't happen, beware.

Please fill us in a bit about yourself and what's happening with you.

Best of luck,
ess