traditional angiography vs. MRA

About 16 years ago I was diagnosed with a dural AVM involving the right transverse/sigmoid sinus.  The only symptoms was pulsatile tinnitis.  Nothing showed up on CT or MRI or the MRA available in 1992.  The AVM only showed up on a cerebral angiogram.  Recommended treatment was either ignore it (as it probably woudn't blow out) or embolization followed by resection.  I felt like I had a bomb in my head so I chose embolization/resection.  Shortly before embolization/resection was scheduled, the pulsatile tinnatis just went away.  Angiography showed the AVM spontaneously thrombused.  No treatment proceeded.  Never had any problems again.

Now 16 years later, the pulsatile tinnitis is back.  I would really like not to have to go thru an angiogram again.  Assuming the AVM is back, would it show up on MRA?  Should I even follow up on this or should I just hope it thrombuses again.  I am older now (47) and unfortunately have less confidence in medicine/surgery.  So, if this won't kill me, I just as soon ignore it and turn the radio up louder to cover the tinnitis.

Jen


This discussion is related to CTA vs MRA help please.

[Pauly_girl]

The MRA/MRI I had did not show where the pulsing sound was coming from within the tangle of my AVM. But, my Internist could clearly hear with his stestscope that the sound is coming from slightly below and directly behind my right ear. Isn't that where the right transverse/sigmoid sinus is located? He told me not to worry about it--but I do--and wish he would get back to me. (He is consulting with a vascular surgeon and a neurologist.) I think you should go back and have it checked again. Procedures have imporved greatly, I would think, in the last 16 years.  I don't know why they didn't give me an angiogram too.  But, they did inject dye during the procedures I had.  Please stay in touch.  You are the only one who has responded to me.