3T MRI

[gleizer]

This question is for Quixotic1,
Hi, I've been reading your posts and I learned a lot from you.
My question is; If my brain and c-spine MRI are normal in a 3T machine I can be sure that iI don't have MS?
Do you think that a normal MRI done in a 3T machine rule out MS?

[Melissa072]

Yes I do agree that the testing etc is a lot better that 20 years ago, although it still does not help with the frustrating of not knowing.

My current neuro told me that you can never rule out ms, even with all normal testing.

So I asked him how often he has come across it in his 20 years experience, and he told me twice.  One lady showed lesions after 2 years and the other after 20 years, so in 20 years to have this happen twice makes it extremely rare.

But it just seems on here quite a few people have normal mri's at the beginning and then after a couple years etc a lesion appears.

Wonder how we would get a post made up to ask how many with definate ms had a normal mri at the beginning????????????

I would be really interested in knowing.

Melissa

[gleizer]

You must consider that in 20 years the MRI has improved a lot.
In my opinion, 1 normal MRI doesn't mean much but several normal MRIs done in months or years, although doesn't rule out MS completly it makes very unlikely.
I understand your frustration about medical test and doctors opinion. I feel the same way.

[Melissa072]

I have had 3 mri's on only a 1.5 telsa on my brain, thorac, and cervical.   I hope I got all the spelling ok  lols
Anyway my neuro told me you can never rule out ms, even if I was to have them done on a 3 telsa he said I still couldn't rule out ms.
In his 20 years of being a neuro, he has had 2 ladies with normal mri, then afterwards the lesions appeared. He told me one lady had clear mri for 2 years and the other lady had clear mri for 20 years.
I'm guessing that in 20 years and only having this happen twice would make it very rare, but not impossible.

The thing that frustrates me the most on here is the "ask a doctor" forums, when the dr's on there repeatedly state in their posts back to people that they can exclude ms with a normal brain mri......................


Dr Kantor told me my tingling in the heat, numbness and burning, and bilateral face pain and dizziness didn't sound like ms and because I have had clear mri's, ms was very unlikely.

I am not a dr by any means, but have done a lot of research into my symptons and please correct me anyone if I'm correct but I think all my symptons are and could be that of ms.......

Melissa

[Lulu54]

Please read this health page to see why you can have a negative MRI and still have ms


http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Multiple%20Sclerosis/How-Can-a-Person-with-MS-Have-a-Negative-MRI/show/161?cid=36

[gleizer]

Hi,
I will ask my doctor for the toraxic MRI.  Thanks.
So, you think that a normal  brain, cervical and toraxic MRI on the 3T machine rule out MS?

[MsWobbles]

On your original post, you asked if a negative 3T  MRI of the head and cervical spine could rule out MS:  I can definitively say no!  Why?  Because you did not mention a
3T MRI of your thoracic spine.  

If I remember correctly, Quixotic1 had MS lesions ONLY in her thoracic spine.  There are some people whose MS only shows up there - but, of course it is not the majority.  But it may be you.  Did you have thoracic 3T MRI?

WAF

[gleizer]

Hi,
Thank you very much for your answer.
I have an internal vibration in my legs, feet, arms, neck and face
It started with a little buzz on my left foot about 6 months ago. All the blood test are normal and also MRI's.
Frustrates me that I can never be 100% sure that I don't have MS.

[Lulu54]

No, it can not rule it out completely.  We know that sometimes the damage being done by MS is in areas that a normal 3T machine does not see.  I have done some research tests of a 7T machine that looks at the brain and the multiple levels in a much more intimate way.  The things seen on my 7T sometimes don't even appear on my other MRI films.  

But, if you are clear on your 3T and your doctor is not concerned, you probably are safe to breathe a sigh of relief.  But this is NOT 100%.

Sorry we can't tell you the answer you want to hear.
Lu

[gleizer]

Can a normal brain and spine MRI done in a 3T machine rule out MS?

[Lulu54]

Hi Gleizer,
Quix isn't around here these days, thanks to a major remodeling project on her home.  She will be back in a short bit, but in the meantime we're happy to pitch in and help answer her mail!

I would hesitate to tell you that you have the all-clear just because your 3T scans didn't capture anything.  We would need to know more of your history and your symptoms, because the MRI doesn't always capture the image of MS that is undermining your health.

We have a health page on this very topic - you can find them by the yellow icon on the upper right side of this page.  Not everyone with MS has a positive MRI, but most do.

I hope you'll stop through again and share more of your story and your questions.

be well,
Lulu