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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Migraines
Answered by
Lama Chahine, MD - Neurology
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland - OH
This forum is for questions and support regarding neurology issues such as: Alzheimer's Disease, ALS, Autism, Brain Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Pain, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, MS, Neuralgia, Neuropathy, Parkinson's Disease, RSD, Sleep Disorders, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury.
Migraines
by wendywsmith, Jun 17, 2009 08:32AM
Why would a MRI show a white area on your brain that would be causing headaches.
Doctor's Answer
by Lama Chahine, MD, Jun 22, 2009 09:02PM
, Jun 22, 2009 09:02PM
Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.
Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history and review your MRI, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is nor what the implications of your MRI findings are. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
To put it simply, many lesions on MRI that appear white could be a cause of headaches. On the other hand, people with headaches often have white matter spots on their MRI that are not the cause of headache; they may be the result of the headaches, or may be entirely unrelated.
People with migraine often have plaques, "white matter lesions" on their MRI that are of unclear cause or significance. Meaning if you were to take a group of patients with migraine who are otherwise well, a certain proportion would have white matter spots, but the exact cause is unknown, some think they are the result of the migraine themselves, others think they are related to whatever process is causing the migraine. But they do not really portend a progressive or concerning neurologic disorder going on.
On the other hand, in someone with headaches and a large lesion that appears white, that is pressing on surrounding structures or is surrounded by swelling, the possibilities include tumors, vascular malformations or blood, and several other causes.
I recommend you discuss the findings of your MRI with the ordering physician, it is important to understand what the findings mean.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.
Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history and review your MRI, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is nor what the implications of your MRI findings are. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
To put it simply, many lesions on MRI that appear white could be a cause of headaches. On the other hand, people with headaches often have white matter spots on their MRI that are not the cause of headache; they may be the result of the headaches, or may be entirely unrelated.
People with migraine often have plaques, "white matter lesions" on their MRI that are of unclear cause or significance. Meaning if you were to take a group of patients with migraine who are otherwise well, a certain proportion would have white matter spots, but the exact cause is unknown, some think they are the result of the migraine themselves, others think they are related to whatever process is causing the migraine. But they do not really portend a progressive or concerning neurologic disorder going on.
On the other hand, in someone with headaches and a large lesion that appears white, that is pressing on surrounding structures or is surrounded by swelling, the possibilities include tumors, vascular malformations or blood, and several other causes.
I recommend you discuss the findings of your MRI with the ordering physician, it is important to understand what the findings mean.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.
