MRI

[shdiamond5]

I just got my Mri and it states that I have multiple foci of increases T2 and the letter signal are identified bilaterally, predominately involving the frontal lobes. No abnormal enhancement. On the summing up of the report it state I have a slight interval increase in the degree of white matter change predomonitately involvling the frontal lobes bilaterally compared to my 2007 MRI. It further states: The differential includes small vessel ischemicchange, demyelinating disorder, and hypertensivechange. So in a nut shell could you translate this for me please and should I now seek a specialist.

Thanking you in advance.

sbh

[shdiamond5]

I have been to an appointment with the ENT Dr, whicwas my scheduled yearly exam. and he was the one that wanted one more MRI due to my surgery years ago to remove  the Arachanoid tumor in my Skull Base area (last MRI) for me for this medical reason.  I talked to him about the findings on the MRI and he told me he see's alot of what is on my MRI with other patients and definitely I need to not be concerned about MS, I don't have the symptoms for it.  He say's the finding is only part of ageing, and that I don't not need to concerned about it.  The Dr.  did tell me that I needed to just keep busy, excercise and do thing's to make myself think, like crosswords puzzels

[shdiamond5]

Thank you so much for your post.  I do worry about my health., I am like everyone else want to be able to enjoy my retirement when I retire.  I am going to the Dr. who ordered the MRI last year and talk to him.  4 years ago I was told that I had Mini Strokes from my General Dr. and so I am thinking that may be my medical situation.  I am 62 soon to be 63 and coach softball (Ladie's).  I have read the symptoms and I don't have the tingling that it talks about our the headache's in fact I rarely have a head ache.  I am also thinkiing when Mr. Dr. looked the MRI and if it was something I should be concered about he would have called me like he did when I had the Arachanoid Cyst.  I again, thank you so much you have eased my worries.

[Lulu54]

Greetings. Your post came to our attention because of the mention  of MS. I would strongly invite you to come over to the MS forum if you have questions about this confusing disease.

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Multiple-Sclerosis/show/41


I would not throw your MRI results into the Multiple Sclerosis pool, yet. It is much too soon to even bring this into the discussion for your test results.  This is a disease that is hard to diagnose and many other possibilities have to be looked at and ruled out, such as ishemic disease.  

You don't mention having any symptoms that would fit the picture for MS.

If it is MS, there most definitely is treatment available to help slow the progress of the disease, and in many case it halts it completely.  Yes, the symptoms are also treated, but there is so much more that can be done these days for people living with MS.




If this report is worrisome to you, be sure to followup with a neurologist for a thorough exam.  

be well,
Lulu
MS forum

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. The MRI changes are suggestive of small vessel ischemic disease, hypertensive change or a demyelinating lesion. Consult a physician for checking hypertension etc causing these MRI lesions. MS is a chronic demyelinating disorder where the disease phase is characterized by active phase and remissions. It has multiple symptoms and signs and is a diagnosis of exclusion. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness in any area, problems with walking and coordination, tremors in one or more arms and legs. Bowel and bladder symptoms include frequency of micturition, urine leakage, eye symptoms like double vision uncontrollable rapid eye movements, facial pain, painful muscle spasms, tingling, burning in arms or legs, depression, dizziness, hearing loss, fatigue etc. The treatment is essentially limited to symptomatic therapy so the course of action would not change much whether MS has been diagnosed or not. Apart from clinical neurological examination, MRI shows MS as paler areas of demyelination, two different episodes of demyelination separated by one month in at least two different brain locations. Spinal tap is done and CSF electrophoresis reveals oligoclonal bands suggestive of immune activity, which is suggestive but not diagnostic of MS. Demyelinating neurons, transmit nerve signals slower than non-demyelinated ones and can be detected with EP tests. These are visual evoked potentials, brain stem auditory evoked response, and somatosensory evoked potential. Slower nerve responses in any one of these is not confirmatory of MS but can be used to complement diagnosis along with a neurological examination, medical history and an MRI in addition, a spinal tap. Therefore, it would be prudent to consult your neurologist with these concerns. Hope this helps. Take care.

[shdiamond5]

Thank you for your reply.  I had this MRI done last year and decided I needed to get a copy of the report due to I had Arachonoid Cyst removed 5 years ago (skull base surgery) and wanted to make sure all was o.k., even though the Dr. Office called to tell me all was fine.  I don't understand why they did not let me know about the other finding's on the report, could it be that they are very slight and nothing to worry about right now??????  Thanking you in advance, shdiamod5

[Caryopteris]

"The differential includes small vessel ischemicchange, demyelinating disorder, and hypertensive change."  

This is a summary of possibilities for the changes seen.  The first possibility you can read about here:  

http://www.ehow.com/about_4740835_small-vessel-ischemic-disease.html

The second possibility they are talking about is MS.  

Hypertensive change means changes caused by high blood pressure.  

So these are three possible causes for the changes seen.