MRI Scan

[gripcasey]

Hi daugter recently had a MRI scan and the report stated

The midline structuresare cantra. There is asmoothly outlined round lesion seen within the pineal gland which is of high signal intensity on T" and Flair Imaging. The measures approximately 1.5cm in diameter on axial imaging. There is no evidence of compression of the aqueduct or of the tecum of the midbrain

Could someone please explain this in plain english.

Thanks

[Jules77733]

I just noticed your response, now...I'll read through it again when I'm much more awake (it's 3:30am now...haha) and let you know if I have some additional thoughts. I can tell you already that I'm surprised they didn't do an MRI with contrast (gadolinium) in the first place--the reason they want to do a second MRI is because they would like it to be done with contrast this time. Depending on which part(s) of your daughter's growth "enhances" or "lights up" on imaging as a result of the contrast will help them determine what the growth is.

[gripcasey]

Thanks for the information it doed help me.
The symptomsmy daughter experiencing which are facial paralysis and blured vision right side of face.Bells Palsy was first diagnosis before MRI.
Have the remainder of MRI report now.
"There is also expansion of the occipital horns of bothlateral ventricles which contail focal well defined ovoid areasof uniformlyincreased signal intensity on T2 and flair sequencesand intermediate to low signal intensity on T1. this measures 2.2 X 17 cm on the right and approximately 2.1 X1.4cm within the occipital horn on the left. Ther is no dialatation of the remainder of the lateral ventricles. The third and fourt ventricles are also normal.
Ther is no evidence od abnormality in the perventricular white matter. The cerebal sulci are normal. No abnormality is seen of the deep white matter tracts, basal ganglia, brainstem oe cerebellum.

Conclusion: An MRI with gadolinium is advised to futher assess the findings in the pineal gland and occipital horns of the lateral ventriclesand to exclude solid mass.

Again thanks and if you could help with the added information.

[Jules77733]

Hopefully I can help you understand your daughter's results a little better. I think what the report probably reads is, "the midline structures are contra", meaning that the structures--or the parts of your daughters brain that fall alone the middle-line (if you look at the head from the top and imagine splitting it right down the center, or the middle)--are shifted in one direction, when they shouldn't be. I believe this is usually referred to as "midline shift", but unless I'm wrong, the radiologist interpreting your daughter's images just referred to it differently. This shift is likely attributable to the lesion they discovered, which measures 1.5cm in diameter. In terms of size, this is somewhat large, though not uncommon. The lack of compression of the aqueduct and tectum is good news. If the lesion was compressing these areas, your daughter would be experiencing an array of symptoms.

The round lesion, which sounds like it is well circumscribed--meaning they can see the edges quite clearly and these edges are smooth and rounded--usually indicative of a cyst. Neoplasms (another fancy word for abnormal growths) in the pineal region of the brain are rare, but largely benign. The high signal intensity on T2-weighted and FLAIR images is consistent with a pineal cyst, but it can also be representative of other tumors in this region, such as a pineocytoma (also benign, though more invasive--or fast-growing--than a typical cyst).

What symptoms, if any, is your daughter experiencing? In any event, she should follow-up with a neurologist, but if she isn't experiencing any symptoms, chances are this is a benign lesion that isn't causing any real problems, and probably never will. The pineal gland sits between the cerebrum and the cerebellum in the brain, and its main job is to regulate your Circadian rhythm, or sleep/wakefulness patterns, which is done by releasing melatonin.

I hope that was "plain English" and helped you understand the MRI results a little better. Someone please chime in if I misunderstood something.....

Please keep me posted on how things go; I have a pineal cyst, so I'm interested in cases like your daughter's!