Was the MRI looking in the wrong place?

[Bellsinor]

Hi. I have a lot of trouble with my neck from as far back as I can remember, and the symptoms which I have are all  seem to be the same as the symptoms with chiari. I have EDS and have assumed that this has been causing my neck problems, and the dizziness, balance, nausea, headaches, tinnitus etc are just part of life as an EDSer. After a recent bad bout of neck pain and weakness in my legs, an MRI was ordered to look for compression in the cervical spine. The results came back (by email) mentioning degeneration in some discs, but apparently nothing significant enough to cause the symptoms, and have been asked to use PT and muscle relaxants.

My question is whether the MRI was looking in the wrong place. It wasn't until after the MRI when I came across chiari and saw the similarities of the symptoms I have been having, so the doctor was not looking for chiari as far as I know. I have made an appointment to discuss the MRI, but I feel I need to go in to the appointment with a clear case for requesting another MRI if the first one may have been looking too low down.  I realise no one can give medical advice as such, but does anyone understand MRI settings enough to think I am probably right in assuming that the MRI was only set to look at the spine from C3-C4 downwards, so could have missed seeing a chiari malformation? The settings were this:-

1.5T of Cervical spine. Pulse sequences: sagittal T1W, sagittal T2W, axial T2W covering disc spaces C3-C4 down through level C6-7.

Thanks for your help!

Bellsinor

[selmaS]

  Hi Bellsinor and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Most MRI's of the cervical spine should show if there is a herniation of the cerebral tonsils....but Chiari is the malformation of the skull and a brain MRI should be done too.

I am not sure if your MRI was to look at a certain area or if they could only take pics of that area...I am not a medical professional so it does not help me to see the settings.

Most with Chiari also have EDS, so it is not far fetched to think it is a possibility.

Only more testing could help determine if you do.

[Bellsinor]

Hi selmaS, I have since had a brain MRI and would be keen to get a second opinion. I live abroad and there are no Chiari or EDS specialists here, so all the tests to date have been to rule out conditions with similar symptoms like MS. Do you know if there are any neurologists who might give second opinions without face-to-face consultations? Or if there is somewhere I can post the scans for comments from people familiar with Chiari? Thanks.