Comparison of my two sets of MRIs

[hbananas]

Well, I don't think things are getting worse.  In fact, my newest report has less lesion-related stuff on it.  Here's my very abbreviated version of the two reports--and I left out the parts about mild degenerative disc disease.

Brain Dec 2007 0.3 T MRI (Yes, you read that right 3/10th of a T)
Ventricals, sulci & basilar cisterns normal in caliber.  Small singular white matter lesion in the insular white matter on the left anteriorly.  Remaining white matter tracks unremarkable.  No brain mass or abnormal enhancement identified following contrast administration.

Brain Apr 2008 3 T MRI
Dilated Virchow-Robin spaces within right and left basal ganglia.  Ventricals and basal cisterns unremarkable.  A punctuate area of increased signal in the paraventricular white matter adjacent to the left frontal horn and in the white matter adjacent to the frontal horns bilaterally.  This is very minimal.  Post contrast show no abnormal enhancement.  Impression:  Minimal white matter hyperintensities in the paraventricular white matter.  These may be age-related findings.  They are not specific or suggestive of MS by MRI criteria.

C-Spine Jan 2008 1.5 T MRI
Multiple areas of increased T2 signal within the cord, no enhancement with contrast:
C3-C4  interspace small focus in left lateral aspect
C4-C5 interspace, focus of abnormal signal noted in right lateral
C6-C7 vertebral bodies, larger patchy area of abnormal signal.
Impression:  Multiple areas of increased T2 signal within the cervical cord suspicious for a demyelinating process, such as MS.

C-Spine April 2008 3 T MRI:
C4-C5 No definite signal abnormal seen sagittal images.  On right posterolateral aspect of the spinal cord a small area of hyperintensity appears to be present measuring 1.4mm without expansion or deformity.
C6-C7:  Hyperintensity seen in central aspect of cord extending to the anterior central aspect.  This area measures 4.6mm x 3.5 mm x 10.9 mm in AP, transverse, and craniocaudad dimensions respectively.
T1-T2: Patient appears to have a left extraforaminal Tarlov cyst.
Post contrast images show minimal enhancement in the area of hyperintensity at C6-C7.  No other areas of abnormal enhancement seen.
Impression:an area of mild hyperintensity with very mild enhancement within cervical cord at C6-7 and a small area of hyperintensity within the right posterolateral aspect of the thecal sac at C4 level.  These do not cause cord expansion and do not suggest a neoplastic process.  This could represent a demyelinating process, or gliosis.  No surrounding edema.  Correlation with prior studies and short-term follow-up is suggested.

I'm seeing the neuro on the 23rd.  Just thought I'd toss this out there.  Possibilities are  1) Things that looked strange on the weaker machines were clarified and found not to be so odd on the stronger one, 2) The radiologists just see things differently, 3) Things have gotten better, or at least not worse--the C3-4 lesion is gone, the small brain lesion is now punctate.  4) However, there are more of them, but it's just because I'm 53?  And what's with the cyst thingy?  And there is some enhancement with contrast on the patchy lesion at C6-7, so that indicates some new-ness, right?

The tingling in my hands and feet has subsided, although they got a little worse at the first of March for a week or so.  Even if I hang around in limbo for a long time, as long as I don't get worse, that's fine by me.  We can't afford for me to start taking expensive drugs and have it hit the insurance--they'll raise the rates so nobody in my husband's small company can afford it, including his boss.  I hope to get something permanent at my government job so I can get on their gigantic policy.

[Quixotic1]

All of your scenarios are possible. It is super hard to compare MRIs of different magnet stregths!  (But, 0.3T????  Why bother?)  The spinal findings on the 3T are concerning.  There are few of the MS mimics that produce spinal cord lesions.  Hypertension, glucose-intolerance and migraines do NOT.  The C6-C7 lesion with enhancement may well be your ticket out of Limbo.

The term "gliosis" means scarring - the cause of which is not specified.

The age-related white matter lesions DO NOT INCLUDE LESIONS IN THE WHITE MATTER OF THE SPINAL CORD.   Also, I have problems, automatically dismissing white matter lesions in the presence of symptoms.  How, do they know?  And, Not everyone gets the "normal for age" lesions at the same time or has them definitely by the time they are in their 70's.

Yes, never getting the frontal sinuses is a variation of normal as is not developing Wisdom Teeth.  I didn't get them either.

Don't know about the cyst thingy.  Most cyst thingys are not important.

Quix

[hbananas]

Age-related white matter changes.

Well, it seems that people in their 60's and above typically have these, and they are part of why we start having some cognitive troubles as we age.  Looking this up led to the term "leukoaraiosis".  Other things implicated in causing these are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and impaired fasting glucose, all of which I have.  They're vascular.

Apparantly I don't have any frontal sinuses, either.  Maybe that's why when I answer the phone, sometimes people ask if my mother is at home.  "Aplasia of the frontal sinuses."  The first MRI report didn't say anything about that.  Those form after we're born, and it's not terribly uncommon to lack them.  I never had any wisdom teeth, either.

Holly