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1287446 tn?1313947638

Help Deciphering MRI?

Hi everyone.  My father is an alzheimer's sufferer.  He abruptly began getting much worse in early 2009 and has since lost his ability to do about everything since.  He had an MRI on June 22, 2010 that I recently received a copy of, and I'm trying to decode the meaning.  Can anyone offer any help on this?    It says:  

MRI BRAIN WITHOUT CONTRAST
CLINICAL STATEMENT:  Cerebellar ataxia.  Alzheimer's worsening symptoms.  
COMPARISON:  Prior MRI of the brain dated 3-18-05 is available for direct comparison.  

Findings:  The study is limited due to motion artifact throughout the examination.  The craniocervical junction is grossly unremarkable without crowding or narrowing at the level of the toramen magnum.  The corpus callosum is fully formed.  The ventricles and sulci are diffusely prominent, consistent with generalized volume loss.    Findings are not significantly changed.  There are patchy and confluent areas of subcortical and periventricular T2 FLAIR signal hyperintensity noted involving the bilateral cerebral hemispheres, not significantly changed and typical of chronic small vessel ischemic related changes.  Bilateral basal ganglia chronic lucanar intarctions are also present.  There is no restricted diffusion to suggest acute ischemia.  There are scattered areas of blooming artifact about the bilateral basal ganglia lacunes, consistent with chronic mineralization.  The visualized paranasal sinuses and mastoid air cells are aerated.  
Best Answer
1711789 tn?1361308007
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi there!

The radiologist has described a motion artifact i.e. the images were not clear do to movement of the patient during the imaging procedure. However the study describes a few other changes that may be normal with increased age and some small areas of infarcts (minute areas of dead tissue due to lack f adequate blood supply) probably secondary to small vessel disease. This is the same pathology as a stroke except that in the latter the infarcts would involve larger areas and the symptoms would tend to be more acute. I would suggest consulting a neurologist/ his treating physician for adequate management of the condition which may involve medications and lifestyle changes along with adequate control of a few conditions such as hypertension, if involved.
Hope this is useful.

Take care!
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1287446 tn?1313947638
Thank you!
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