Re: What are UBO'S/unidentified bright objects seen on MRI/brain?

Posted By CCF Neuro MD msf on March 19, 1999 at 14:40:49:

In Reply to: What are UBO'S/unidentified bright objects seen on MRI/brain? posted by Elizabeth on March 17, 1999 at 09:48:16:






In 1989, a MRI was necessary due to vision disturbances and other minor neurological
symptoms.  In 1966, I was admitted to the MGH, Boston with Bacterial Menengitis as
an emergency.  Now in 1998-99, increased visual disturbances and progressive vision
loss with a form of diplopia, with a recent exam showing acute vision loss in my left
eye prompted additional tests.  One was an arterial test w/dye showing "something" so
in order to know what something is, more tests and an all day exam with Mass Ey&Ear.
The UBO's signal effect to the cortical sulci as noted from the Right Parietal Region;
Would like to know what UBO's are and if it is possible to cause vision loss and weird
visual phenomena which is pretty weird? Elizabeth




Dear Elizabeth,
Thank you for your question. The term UBO is used when the nature of an abnormal image seen on MRI is not determined. They are "bright" objects because they send a strong "signal" and appear white on certain images. The main point is that MRI (and other imaging techniques) produces images, which must be interpreted and confronted to the symptoms. Some UBOs can be artifacts, or may have been here for a long time, and may not be related to current symptoms. So the expression UBOs is used until a diagnosis is made... It is difficult to figure out exactly where these UBOs are located in your case without seeing the films. Of course, if they are in areas which can produce visual symptoms, they are more likely to be the cause of the symptoms. Also, it is difficult to tell if they are related to the "something" seen on the angiography, without knowing what the "something" was. If you had meningoencephalitis in 1996, there is a possibility that the UBOs are sequaele from this infection. as you see, there are many possibilities, and the answer might come from the combination of results from all the tests. I wish you good luck.