Question

[mom2makinlee]

I have been having some major neck pain and now as I am massaging my neck I am feeling some enlarged lymph nodes.  I did have an MRI of my cervical spine but it was without contrast...would enlarged lymph nodes have shown up or do you have to have the contrast?

Thanks for your help!

[mom2makinlee]

The doctor felt one of the lymph nodes and said it was swollen and did not seem too concerned but said she would just check it again in 3 weeks.  I forgot to tell her that for about 2 years I have had a pea sized hard lump on the floor of my mouth its gets smaller and bigger but never totally goes away.  Of course you cant see it but i can feel it with my tongue.  I have had an ENT check it out before and he said it was nothing.  I guess I will let my GP know this when I go back in 3 weeks.  She did ask me if I smoked and I do and have smoked for about 12 years.  She also said she still hears some wheezing in my lungs which is what she said when I had the bronchitis.    I guess it is possible I still have this?  

Should I get an appointment to see the ENT again or should I just stick with my GP and see what she says in 3 weeks?

My grandfather did have lung cancer so I am a little freaked out about that but he also smoked non filtered cigs for 40 years.  I guess that is no difference though because I am at 12 years.  I need to quit!!!

[mom2makinlee]

Thanks for your response.  I honestly am not sure that they are lymph nodes that I am feeling as I am not a doctor but they do feel small round and some are hard and some are soft.  I am on an antibiotic for bronchitis that I have have for 6 - 8 weeks now...would they be swollen still from that?

[PaulMD]

Hi.

If the spine is the focus of the MRI, then it is unlikely that it would report any other pathologies outside of the spine, whether you use contrast or not.  Neck lymph nodes are quite common in the general population and this is most commonly due to infection somewhere in the head.  I myself have enlarged lymph nodes which is attributed to severe seborrheic dermatitis along with some scalp infections.

However, it is still best to have this examined by your doctor just to be sure it would be nothing serious.

Regards.