mri

[julie992]

my mri results state numerous small T2 hyperintense white matter lesions most commonly related to small vessell ischemic disease what does this mean?

[mjd184]

will this involve early signs of dememtia

[LivingInHope]

In case Dr. Sharma doesn't get back here, you might try posting a separated new question and see if they do.  

Gliosis is where astrocytes multiply and may show up as a healing sign after you have had damage in your central nervous system.  According to McGraw-Hill's dictionary, the damage to neurons is usually owing to a decrease in oxygen or glucose.  The fact that the radiologist is guessing it is chronic means this damage appears to have been happening for quite some time.

Since you have never had a migraine headache, it sounds like your doctor and you will rule migraines out as being the cause for what the radiologist is seeing.  You and your doctor can take a look together at what the cause might be with your history/symptoms.

[Deanna586]

Dear Dr. Sharma:  Recently I wnt for an MRI for my ENT who performed surgery for a deviated septum.  However, the mri also showed Hello-  a recent MRI I had showed that I had a "few non-specifice increased  T2 signal areas in the white matter of both fromtal lobes, probably foci of chronic gliosis aa result of migraine headaches or small vessel ischemia."  Please note that I have never had a migraine headache.  What does this mean?    Thank you.

[Dr Sharma]

Dear Julie, welcome to the medhelp forum. Why did you undergo an MRI brain in the first place is important to comment further on the findings. If you had symptoms suggestive of multiple sclerosis and other clinical suspicion, these MRI white matter lesions may represent plaques. Though the diagnostic criteria includes a history of previous attacks, spinal fluid assessment and MRI. The number of radiological lesions on MRI, their location and size is important. These white matter lesions are due to decreased blood flow in the smaller blood vessels in the brain. You need to be checked for risk factors like hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidiemia or high cholesterol. Infections, inflammatory conditions and migraines also can cause these changes on MRI. Consult your treating neurologist for clinical correlation. You are welcome with any other queries. Take care.

[LivingInHope]

The radiologist, it seems, is kind of leaning toward the most common cause of the white matter lesions they are seeing, small vessel ischemic disease.

  Ischemia to small blood vessels.... Their are little vessels that branch from your bigger, oxygen carrying arteries in your brain.  These littler vessels are being starved of oxygen.  

Do you have issues with high bad cholesterol and or triglycerides (things that can cause plaque formation and clogging of these small blood vessels)?  Do you have high blood pressure?  This kind of thing can also occur in people who suffer from chronic migraines and as a person ages.  Remember your doctor and you need to look at your symptoms and history, which are important in figuring out what the MRI results mean to your particular case, so may I encourage you if you haven't already to take that step to follow up with your doctor on these results? :0)