pls put in "english" MRI report

Had  MRI/MRA done one year ago and the findings were:" There is a single focus of increased T2 signal intensity within the right pariental white matter best seen oin FLAIR image 13. This  is nonspecific and marepresent a focus of s,all vessel ischemic, degenerative, or demyelinating change. There is no difusion evidence of acute or subacute ischemic change. There is no evidence of focal mass effect or edema. The ventricular system is unremarkable. No evidence of aneurysm, focal stenosis, or major branch occlusion."

I have suffered migraines all my life. I have firbromyalgae. I have matriach family history of aneurysms. My brother who is now 47 had brain one at 30 and heart one at 35. My sister who is 49 has just been diagnosed with ascending aerotic one. Mother died from heart one. at 56.  I have had numbness on left side, balance problems, eye twitching,, loss of feeling in some of left foot, dizziness, some like buzzing like feeling in head, have had spinal stenosis in lower spine. One surgery for this in late 20's and another one 5 months back one level up. These are at base of spine. Long term and short memory is shot.

Both parents suffered strokes. My mother before her death of dissection of anuerysm, my father's started after third yr of heart valve replacemnt. died at 63 of congestive heart failure.

I have 3 minor leakage valves. I am 57.

Please explain the MRI/MRA- what does it mean? Am I headed for stroke activity or have i had "mini-strokes? I am tired of all these test showing nothing wrong. Am I the sickest healthiest person ever or what????

[maxthecat43]

The great news:  nothing you posted looks like a stroke is headed your way.  No aneurysms either, according to this report.

Non-specific white matter changes are pretty common.  

To me, it just sounds like it's either age-related (small vessel ischemic changes) or due to migraines.  Migraines are known to cause white matter changes, and they can also cause neurological symptoms (atypical migraine- and the like).  There are even types of migraine that can cause temporary weakness or paralysis- usually only on one side of the body.

The radiologist probably added in demyelinating change, just to help the neurologist not to miss anything.  The MRI didn't show any evidence of stroke or aneurysm.  Only time will tell about the other possibilities. but since you know you have a history of migraine- that's what I would be researching.  You could specifically put "white matter changes" and "migraine" into the search engine.  It's a good place to start.  After that, maybe put "numbness" "hemi-paresis" and "migraine" into a new search.

If this continues, or happens again ( Meaning after all symptoms have been gone for over 30 days.  Or if all symptoms improved to a certain point, and then stayed level for at least 30 days -then you have a new attack of the same or different symptoms)- contact your doctor again.  

I hope this helps.
Tammy