Puzzled-please look at this

[JeWeL41]

I've posted several times now and have had no response so I am desperately hoping that someone will take pity on me and please, please, please tell me what the white area on my mri is? I have had sudden hearing loss since nov 2006, terrible tinnitus, headaches on that side constantly, facial twitching and odd sensations, shooting pains in that ear, imbalance and ear fullness. These symptoms are getting worse and making it very difficult for me to hold down my job as a science teacher. My diagnosis is Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing Loss but surely it must have been caused by something which it seems to me must be what is standing out through several slices of my mri as a bright white area. Could this show a stroke or viral damage?

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hi.

The MRI actually suggests two possibilities. One is, of course, the acoustic neuroma. The other is a possible glomus tumor. And since the "bright spot" is actually a continuation of the transverse sinus, as can be seen in the other films, I suspect a sigmoid sinus thrombosis as a third differential.

The history of sudden hearing loss does not quite go with that of a typical acoustic neuroma. But is does go with an acute infection leading to thrombosis. I guess, you need to check this out with the treating doctors.

I wish I could help you more with the MRI.

Regards

[KarenZ]

I recently came across this site which shows pictures of brain MRI's and talks about the lesions. Perhaps it might help you. It's rather long, but try this:
radiologyassistant.nl/en/4556dea65db62#p4594f74ccbf19

Good luck with everything.

[KarenZ]

I recently came across this site which shows picture of brain MRI's and talks about the lesions. Perhaps it might help you. It's rather long, but try this:
radiologyassistant.nl/en/4556dea65db62#p4594f74ccbf19

Good luck with everything.

[JeWeL41]

Hi ggreg, yes i think i found it but the diagnostic radiology one won't let me post any questions as it says it has reached the daily limit and it said that yesterday too and there haven't been any posts on it since 23rd Feb. I also tried the ear forum but you have to pay to post there and i am reluctant to do that. I'll just have to wait I think and see what the next neur says. thanks

[ggreg]

I'm assuming you have now found the "Ask a Doctor" forum.  If not, then you click on the "Forums" icon from the icons across the very top of this webpage.  Then two columns come up, the one on the left is "Medical Community" and on the right is "Ask a Doctor."  There are doctors who visit here, however.  Also, the neurology community forum is very busy, many messages go unanswered.  Glad you will be getting your MRI looked at again this week.  Maybe they can also better describe what are the various reasons for a neurological deficit with your hearing, so you can sort out whether you can somehow fix your condition or learn how to live with it.  Wish we could have helped you more here.  I have various conditions that are somewhat mysterious with no answers too.

[JeWeL41]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I have been to an ENT and had a second opinion in London. I have never had an ear infection and don't have any wax in my ears etc. The specialists tell me this is a Sensori neural hearing loss which means the nerve is in some way permanently damaged. I have a hearing aid.

The neuroradiologists report of the mri was only a few words and did not even mention the white spot. The mri will be looked at again on Thursday.

This site is a bit confusing as I thought I was asking a doctor!!

[ggreg]

Sorry you did not get a response, but it's probably becuz no one knew the answer.  I am not a doctor, but I will try to help.  This is a patient-to-patient forum.  There is also an Ask the Doctor part of these forums, too, so try there if you need a professional answer.

From what I understand, unless your doctor told you otherwise, a white spot on an MRI of the brain sometimes indicates an abnormality, not necessarily a growth, and not necessarily causing your ear problems.  I assume your physician or neurologist explained what that white spot finding meant.  If not, you can either request a squeeze-in emergency appointment to get your questions answered, or if you can't, then request a copy from your doctor's office of the radiologist's written report, which should characterize that abnormality.

As for your ear trouble, in case it does not originate in the brain, and since they don't know why you've got it (idiopathic), I'll say what it sounds like to me, because I know people with ear problems.  I had a bad earache from flu years ago, I was treated with antibiotics, ear drops, and had an ear-nose-throat guy flush out my ear, a ton of earwax came out of there.  Also, three people in my neighborhood all had vertigo, our public water system goofed up for a while, and I think their trouble came from the water bacteria settling in their ears.

I think you could try going to an ENT man, get him to flush them out, give you ear drops, and an antibiotic, on the off chance your ears are clogged or infected, or inner ear balance fluids are out-of-kilter somehow, that sort of thing.

I think if an ENT treats and clears up your uncomfortable ear symptoms and the MRI report is not significant, and yet in the end you still have hearing loss, you can get a hearing aid for when you're teaching, so you can continue public work, but even if that fails, there are private tutoring organizations and other teaching outlets besides classrooms.  

But I hope you can get a second opinion on your MRI perhaps, and also please go see another ENT man for better treatment of your symptoms.