MRI

[Speedie]

Hello,
Please tell me, recently I had an MRI of brain with and without contrast done. The report stated multiple linear and more focal areas of T2 prolongation scattered throughout the periventricular and subcortical white matter bilaterally consistent with areas of demyelination. (none of these plaques were enhanced) My question is, If none became enhanced with the dye and mri was pretty much the same as an mri done 5 yrs ago, would that mean I that my condition is stable and my my furture prognosis will not be one of a more disabiling effect.
Thank you

[kate1000]

I have had problems with blurred vision.  It started 6 months after a near drowning.  I had an MRI done the results are as follows
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"MRI of the brain and MRI of the pituitary fossa without and with gadolinium demonstrate no suprasellar of pituitary mass.  Tinyk 3MM focus of white matter T2 hperintensity is nonspecific and may relate to focal small vessel ischemic changes".
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My vision problem use to come and go but now I find it never goes completely away.  It does worsen with pressure, winter weather and fatique.  I find that I have become extremely tired, barely being able to function.  On the days I feel extremely bad my skin color goes white as a sheet.

My accident was 6 years ago.  Six months after the accident my vision started to blurr, I started getting my period every 2 weeks, my hair, skin etc went dry.  The doctors could not figure out what would cause this but my family doctor decided to try an MAO inhibator (manerix)  It worked great getting rid of the blurred vision within 3 days !  It last 2 years now it is back !  I was on the manerex when it returned.

When I was reading on hyperintensity and ischemic changes one of the treatments was MAO inhibators which could explain why they worked at the start.

I feel that this should be pursued yet the neorologist ignored the results on the test.  What do you think?  Is there another test that I could do ?  What would be the recommended medication.  Like I said I have become soo tired I can barely function.

Oh recently I had surgery on my nose and they found that my heartrate is crashing and fluctuation.  It was going as low as 48 beats per minute.  It went up and down continuously from 48 - 77.  They gave me an injection to increase my heart rate and then it fluctuated between 60 - 100.  The suggested I see a cardiologist which I have requested to see.  I don't know that the blurred vision would be conected to this or if the white matter in the brain is what is causing the heart fluctuations.

Please help

Kate

[Annika]

Dear Lupe,

The neurologists on this board will only answer questions posted individually - if there's a question posted within someone else's question, they won't see it.  If you go ahead and post this as a new question of your own, they'll definitely write a response.  I'm so sorry for your difficult diagnosis.  There's a very good on-line support group for patients with spinal cord tumors.  I'm using an unfamiliar computer and am not sure how to call up the address, but you can find it easily by doing a Google search for "spinal cord tumor support" (it'll be one of the first few that pop up).  My own tumor was just below the spinal cord (within the spinal canal), but there are many other patients on that bulletin board with tumor locations similar to yours.  Although the board is not run by doctors, it can be helpful to hear the first-hand experiences of other patients who have been through a similar ordeal.  Let me know if you have trouble finding it.

Good luck,
Annika

[LOOPY]

Hello,

I am 24 and recently diagnosed with a tumor and a large syrinx in my cervical cord. I'm not quite sure of the long term affects as well as short term affects. My MRI report conclusion states: THE FINDINGS ARE MOST CONSISTENT WITH A HEMANGIOBLASTOMA AND ASSOCIATED CYST FORMATION. OTHER LESS LIKELY POSSIBILITIES INCLUDE ASTROCYTOMA, METASTATIC DISEASE.>>>>>Please help me to understand in easier terms what exactly this means and what I can expect to happen?


Thank you,
Lupe

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

Impossible to comment accurately on an MRI I have not personally reviewed. However, based on the report you give, you mention "MORE focal areas of T2 prolongation."  If this was compared to one of your prior films and the word MORE meant there were new lesions seen on your recent MRI, then that would mean that you have had MS activity that may have been clinically silent in the last 5 years.  The fact that it did not enhance just means that it's not an active lesion now.  Another aspect of the MRI that we're nowing paying attention to is hypointensity or areas of darkness on T1 imaging which appears to more important for prognosis. Talk to your neurologist and discuss your concerns about what the MRI means about the status and prognosis of your particular case. GOod luck.