non specific imaging findings

[angela5674]

Hi everyone!  Thanks to the few people who responded to my questions about interpreting my MRI results.  I wish more people had, although I know a doctor will have to do the ultimate interpretation.  I go to him on Tuesday, but I was hoping for some insight from you guys on my results, since many of you have had to go through the MRI process.  Since I just found all of this out on Tuesday night, I'm kind of "freaking out" about the prospect of it all.  What does it mean when the results say "Imaging findings are non-specific?"  Also, where is the post that Quix wrote on T2 and FLAIR?   I was trying to find it and have had no luck, and when I do a search of this online, it's all "foreign" to me.  Thanks for any help you guys can give.  :)

[Quixotic1]

A quickie here.  I have to leave soon. All the first part until the paragraph about your as a person - cut for the purposes of giving to the neuro.  In that paragraph cut the sentence about anxiety.  It's true, but it is too risky to bring up anxiety,

On lines listing tests, delete the verb in front.  Makes it harder to skim:

2/23 MRI of c-spine; disc bulges and DDD (He will have access to the results, don't put extra words in)

8/7 MRI of brain etc
      
      MRI cervical spine...etc
When you talk about the sensation in L armpit don't say feels like pinched nerve, more describe the feeling - an area where skin is painful or feels like this one areas has a mild burn or whatever.

It's lookin great!  Quix

[angela5674]

This is long, but here is my revised time line....

Pre-Symptom Life
• December 1993
o Thrown from vehicle in car accident- broke L collar bone and L ankle/foot in 5 places
o Surgery on L ankle/foot to put pins in to encourage proper healing

• June 1994
o Surgery on L ankle/foot to take pins out

• January 1997
o Went in to pre-term labor at 32 weeks.  Was put on sulfur pills to ward off labor

• March 1997
o Gave natural birth to daughter 3 ½ weeks early

• January 1999
o Started community college

• August 2003
o Started Bachelor of Social Work program

• May 2005
o Graduated Bachelor program with 4.0 GPA

• August 2005
o Started Masters of Social Work Program

• December 2005
o Increased pain and issues with muscles
o Diagnosed with muscle spasms and prescribed Flexeril

• January 2006
o Went to Emergency Room due to incredible back pain.  E.R. doctor prescribed Tramadol

• February 2006
o Primary physician recommended physical therapy- started this.

• March 2006
o Started having pelvic pain
o Had ultrasound which showed a cyst on R and L ovary
o Had pap smear which came back abnormal- possible cancer cells

• April 2006
o Released from physical therapy due to increased flexibility and movement- less pain
o Had second pap smear which came back normal

• May 2006
o Graduated from Grad school with 4.0 GPA

• June 2006
o Moved to St George, Utah and started job as a therapist at a residential facility for adolescents.

• November 2006
o Bought a home


Prior to the following, I was quite energetic, even with some bouts of pain.  As stated above, I was able to get through 3 years of college, undergrad and grad school, with a 4.0 GPA.  I loved college and learning, and once I started my first job out of college, I continued to hone my therapy skills through practice and research.  I was always energetic and positive at work, feeling little stress, despite working at a seemingly stressful job.  After February 2007, I started to feel very bogged down at work.  Due to fatigue, it’s difficult for me to get through my work day.  I deal with bouts of being “down,” although it hasn’t escalated to full blown depression.  I feel more anxious with the amount of work I have to do, and find it hard to balance work and home life, a task that was relatively easy for me before.  I no longer can do activities with my family that involve a lot of endurance, like going for walks, etc.  I can’t be out in the heat for a long time, as this fatigues me more.  Some days are better than others, and sometimes I get a span of time where I feel very refreshed and overall better.  During these times, I attempt to “catch up” with all that I have been slacking on, which in turn fatigues me again.


Time Line of Current Symptoms
• February 2007

o Started having a lot of pain around my L shoulder blade.  Went to doctor on 2/10 and was put on 5mg Lortab, Zanaflex, and a 6 day pack of Methylprednisolone  4 MG TAB.  Steroid did not do anything

o Increasingly more fatigued around this time, as well as more headaches

o Sent for MRI on 2/23 on cervical spine.  MRI showed disc bulges on C3/4 - C5/6.  Also showed minimal degenerative disc disease at C3/4 - C5/6.  

o Was increased to 7.5mg Lortab on 2/26.

• March 2007

o Was referred for physical therapy on 3/19.  



• April 2007

o Continued physical therapy.  

o Had 7 Cortisone shots on 4/26 from mid-back up to left shoulder

o Pain got better in the shoulder and neck.  Less fatigue at this time

• May 2007

o Had MRI on lumbar spine on 5/11- negative MRI on lumbar

o Continued physical therapy

o Continued to have little pain and little to no fatigue

• June 2007

o On 6/25, noticed 1st 3 fingertips on L hand were numb.  Had this off and on before, so I didn’t think much of it because it always came back after a few minutes.  This time it did not come back

• July 2007

o On 7/7, noticed my L arm had lost sensation and was partially numb.

o Doctor wanted me to have a nerve conduction study.  Had this on 7/16 and it came back normal.  

o Pain returned- all L sided

• August 2007

o Increased to 10mg of Lortab on 8/2 as lower dosage was not working for pain

o Due to increasing symptoms, doctor wanted me to have another MRI.  Symptoms were as follows:

 First 3 fingers on L hand are numb and stiff

 L arm, from the back of my shoulder down to the 1st 3 fingertips are numb

 Some mornings when I wake up, the L side of my face is numb & tingling

 Numbness and stiffness on L side of neck and along jaw line.

 L arm feels like "dead weight" much of the time

 The L top and back of my head feels tingly at times (like something barely touching my hair)

 Same tingling feeling down back of L leg and butt cheek  

 I get so tired at work almost daily, sometimes to the point that my vision doubles and some days I need to take a nap to continue the work day

 A lot more pain in L shoulder and throughout neck

 Feels like something is pinching nerve on inside of L arm, right under armpit

 I fumble when trying to pick up a piece of paper, etc.  It’s difficult to grip and hold things with my L hand and I’ve dropped keys, water bottles, and other things on numerous occasions

 Memory slips at times.  I.E.  I open a webpage and am then unable to remember why I opened it, I’m in the middle of a sentence and my mind goes completely blank and I have to stop and think to remember what I was discussing, difficulty remembering a word mid-sentence, etc.

 More headaches than usual- hx of migraines that have remitted quite a bit since moving to the area in 6/06.  Began increasing again to higher level than ever.

 Sharp pains in head at times, quick pulsating pains that last a few to 30 seconds or so.

 Seemingly more and more intolerance to heat- Heat makes me very fatigued, my legs feel wobbly and it’s difficult to walk even a short distance.

o Had MRI on 8/7 on brain- Brain scan showed 3 oval shaped lesions within the periventricular white matter

o Had MRI on 8/7 on cervical- MRI showed an oval shaped area at C2/3.  MRI also showed multilevel mild degenerative disc disease, most advanced at C5/6 where there is mild central canal stenosis.  

o Currently, all symptoms continue…fatigued on almost a daily basis.  Can’t walk around for long periods of time without legs feeling like jelly and back hurting badly.  Some days are better than others.

o L arm no longer feels like dead weight, although it is still numb.

o Although I’m still fatigued on a daily basis, my vision hasn’t doubled as much- usually only closer to bedtime

[Quixotic1]

I forgot something

Begin with a short paragraph about the person you were before you became ill.  What did you do?  How active, strong smart, were you.  What was people's view of you (The one who was always going the extra mile, enthusiastic and energetic.  I worked out 5 days a week and was a avid swimmer)  Whatever.  Then state when has been taken from you.

When you check in to see the doc, give the timeline to the front desk and ask that they attach it to your chart and inform him before the visit that it is there.  Have another copy for you to refer to if you need it.  Try to have copies of all your testing for him includin copies of the MRI (unless he will have access to it anyway, eg electronically. )  Do not suggest to him what you think you have.  Do not say that you are very stressed about anything.  State that you know something is wrong. And you hope he can find out what it is.  

Quix

[angela5674]

Thanks for the feedback.  You're right, it does look better with the spaces.  I made the changes you suggested and it reads much more concisely now.  I really appreciate your help on this!  

[Quixotic1]

At the bottom of my last post, I meant:

8/7 MRI of Brain - 3 oval, nonenhancing...etc.

[Quixotic1]

Great job!  It reads well.  I would tighten it up by removing the dates of PT.

Put months in bold or another color.

Doublespace between months and the bulleted symptoms. White space allows the eye to move through easily and keep it's place.

Symptoms in August.  Put all the "numbness in L arm" together Use each of the phrases, but they are all related.  Easier to think about when related symptoms are grouped.  Try abbreviated left and right with L and R.

Combine the feelings of numbness on the face, neck and head into same paragraph.

I don't under the statement falling asleep if I "blink" too long.

Rather than say intloerance to heat, describe what the heat dose to you.  Use descriptive words all through to paint little pictures of the problem.  Example: Instead of "L hand feels uncoordinated and weak" which doesn't paint a picture, say, "When I reach for a piec of paper wth my left hand, I reach, miss it and fumble around.  Trying to lift the coffee pitcher I suddenly drop it, even though it felt like I had a hard grip,"  The reader can picture exactly what you can no longer do well.

Memory slips - What memories?  Words, names, promises you made, appointments missed, conversations you had?

He will have the MRI results or you have them on another sheet.  Just put:  

8/7 - MRI of Brain - # oval nonenhancing lesions in periventricular white matter.

8/7 MRI of C-spine - 1 nonenhancing lseion at C2/C3.  Other findings of DDD.

8/13 -Symptoms continue....with the rest of what you wrote.

Try these changes and see if the whole course of the symptoms pops out.  Also, have any of the symptoms remitted or lessened.  If so, note this where you noticed the improvement.

Quix

[angela5674]

Here's what I came up with for a time line...please let me know if there's anything I'm missing that I should put in there.

• February 2007
o Started having a lot of pain in my left shoulder blade.  Went to doctor on 2/10 and was put on 5mg Lortab, Zanaflex, and a 6 day pack  Methylprednisolone  4 MG TAB.  Steroid did not do anything
o Sent for MRI on 2/23 on cervical spine.  MRI showed very small circumferential disc bulges on C3/4 through C5/6 without evidence of central canal stenosis or neural foraminal narrowing.  Also showed minimal degenerative disc disease at C3/4 through C5/6.  
o Was increased to 7.5mg Lortab on 2/26.
• March 2007
o Was referred for physical therapy on 3/19.  Had physical therapy on 3/19, 3/21, 3/22, 3/27, 3/30
• April 2007
o Continued physical therapy.  Went  4/4 and stopped.  Pain wasn’t getting any better; in fact, it was getting worse.
o Had 7 Cortisone shots on 4/26 from mid-back up to left shoulder
o Pain got better in the shoulder and neck.  Wasn’t completely gone, but a lot less than it had been previously.
• May 2007
o Had MRI on lumbar spine on 5/11- negative MRI on lumbar
o Went to physical therapy on 5/11, 5/15
• June 2007
o Went on vacation to Illinois on 6/22.  On 6/25, noticed 1st 3 fingertips on left hand were numb.  Had this off and on before, so I didn’t think much of it because it always came back after a few minutes.  This did not come back
• July 2007
o Went to physical therapy on 7/6 in hopes of helping the numbness in fingertips
o On July 7, noticed my left arm had lost sensation and was partially numb.
o Doctor wanted me to have a nerve conduction study.  Had this on 7/16 and it came back normal.  
• August 2007
o Increased to 10mg of Lortab on 8/2 as lower dosage was not working for pain
o Due to increasing symptoms, doctor wanted me to have another MRI.  Symptoms were as follows:
 First 3 fingers on left hand are numb
 Left arm, from the back of my shoulder down to the 1st 3 fingertips are numb
 1st 3 fingers and right side of left hand feel stiff
 Left arm feels like "dead weight" much of the time
 Some mornings when I wake up, the left side of my face is numb & tingling
 The left top and back of my head feels tingly at times (like something barely touching my hair)
 Same tingling feeling down back of left leg and butt cheek :)
 I get so tired at work almost everyday, sometimes to the point that my vision doubles and I can feel myself falling asleep if I blink too long.
 Numbness on left side of neck and along jawline.
 A lot more pain in left shoulder and throughout neck
 Unable to do a lot with left hand...I fumble when trying to pick up a piece of paper, etc
 Memory slips at times
 More headaches than usual
 Seemingly more and more intolerance to heat
o Had MRI on 8/7 on brain, cervical and brachial plexus, with and without contrast.  Brain scan showed 3 oval shaped lesions within the periventricular white matter, demonstrating high T2 and FLAIR signal.  These lesions are perpendicular to the lateral ventricles.  MRI on cervical showed mild disc space narrowing in C3/4 through C6/7.  Within the cervical spinal cord at the C2/3 level there is an oval shaped are of ill-defined T2 signal measuring 8mm X 4mm X 4mm.  At C3/4 there is a very small circumferential disc bulge without evidence of central canal stenosis.  There is mild right and moderate left neural foraminal narrowing.  At C4/5, there is a very small circumferential disc bulge without evidence of central canal stenosis.  There is mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing.  At C5/6, there is a small circumferential disc bulge resulting in mild central canal stenosis.  There is mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing.  MRI also showed multilevel mild degenerative disc disease, most advanced at C5/6 where there is mild central canal stenosis.  
o Symptoms continue…fatigued on almost a daily basis.  Can’t walk around for long periods of time without legs feeling like jelly and back hurting badly.

[Quixotic1]

Okay, we need to get into high gear here (As If! you weren't already preparing for a wedding), but as a health professional you'll be able to do what I'm suggesting probably quickly.

To prepare for the neurology appointment we have found that a coherent and concise timeline of your symptoms, exams and testing is invaluable.  It puts the sequence firmly in your mind and brings up things you might have forgotten.  In a timeline format, as opposed to prose, the ebb and flow, or the chronological development of symptoms becomes almost instantanuously apparent to the neurologist.  A long list of symptoms has to be sorted out into when, where and for how long for each symptom.  The timeline makes this readily apparent.  The other thing is that the symptoms rarely all started (or recur) at the same time.  At times some are most prominent, then other may swim to the fore and  at other times you may feel quite normal.  The timeline shows this ebb and flow nicely.

The compilation gives you considerable credibility and facility with your info.  Most neuro's who are able to attend and listen will appreciate it.  If they don't, they are likely to not listen to anything or anyone.  This is a problem many of us have encountered.  Hope you don't.

I'll go find the Timeline post and bump it up to the top.

A few more comments.  The reaction of heat making you feel weak, irritable or making your symptoms worse is classic.  Even indoor temps that you once would have felt very comfortable in.  I find 68 is the best.  If my house gets over 73 degees I can't function.  These are real reactions.  Rarely a heat stress can bring on a true "relapse" of the disease.  Usually the increase in symptoms is temporary once you cool.

Ahhh...cognitive deficits.  The most common are problems with word recall, abstract thinking, generalization and spatial analysis when you're hot or tired and short term memory.  These are common and WELL documented.  My worst remain word recall and immediate auditory recall.

Any subtle dizziness, lose your balance more quickly or feel like either your head or the surroundings are swimming a bit?  Or do you find yourself kind of "walking off that-a-way."  For me this showed as "missing doorways" or running into corners and doorjams.  I ask because of the sense of double vision when you're fatigued.  Any visual abnormalities?  If so, now or in the past, you'll likely need a Visual Evoked Response to lood for signs of present or past Optic Neuritis (which can occur without symptoms).

I think the timeline here is important. One of the diagnostic criteria is "dissemination of the diease in time" (the concept of relapses, as in the most common form of MS) or of steady, gradual progression of symptoms and disability.  This latter I did not hear in your descriptions.

I'm also going to bump up the timeline that introduces some of us with diagnosis.  I know you're busy, but it you have a few moments it might be interesting.

Quix

[angela5674]

Thanks for the post!  I really appreciate your expertise.  You're right, everything on the internet has been pointing towards MS.  And not knowing is much harder than knowing.  I've been in limbo for awhile now, so, although the last thing I want is an MS diagnosis, at least I will have a clearer direction to go in.  I am 30...just turned Monday, the day before my lovely MRI.  I definitely have fatigue...I'm a therapist, and on Wednesday I had a free hour (luckily!) and had to take a nap on the couch in my office in order to feel like I could do my next appointment.  How frustrating!  As far as heat, it's been bothering me for awhile.  We moved from Illinois to Southern Utah a year ago last June, and this summer has been awful.  Dry heat well into the 100's.  Here's a list of my symptoms:
---First 3 fingers on left hand are numb
---Left arm, from the back of my shoulder down to the 1st 3 fingertips are numb
---1st 3 fingers and right side of left hand feel stiff
---Left arm feels like "dead weight" much of the time
---Some mornings when I wake up, the left side of my face is numb & tingling
---The left top and back of my head feels tingly at times (like something barely touching my hair)
---Same tingling feeling down back of left leg and butt cheek :)
---I get so tired at work almost everyday, sometimes to the point that my vision doubles and I can feel myself falling asleep if I blink too long.
---Numbness on left side of neck and along jawline.
---A lot more pain in left shoulder and throughout neck
---Unable to do a lot with left hand...I fumble when trying to pick up a piece of paper, etc

So, that's a run down of my current symptoms.  I have others that I'm not sure I want to connect to MS, like issues w/ memory (it's a joke around my house that I have a file cabinet in my brain, and I think I lose the key to the file cabinet at times!).  Also, I have bruises on my thigh, which makes me think I'm bumping into things, although I don't realize it at the time to be able to connect it.  

Would appreciate any feedback!  Thanks again for the post

[Quixotic1]

Hi, I somehow completely missed your post 3 days ago.  I am so sorry.  I was dealing with some personal and forum issues, but you should have heard from me.  MRI interpretation, though not my strength is my role here.  I'm a retired disabled pediatrician with MS.  When I discuss things, I usually do it in context of MS.  We can't diagnose MS here, but we can look at what you say and whether it "fits"with MS.

First welcome to the form.  I can see why you found yourself here and, you should have had a much better reception.  The forum is growing and I really don't want it to lose the intimate, personal touch that draws people to us.

I'm referring to your original post first to tell you what your MRI looks like, but you already have a good clue.  The description of the three lesions as ovoid, clearly edged and eith their long axis perpendiculat to the ventricles is classic for the lesions of MS or of Acute Demyelination EncephaloMyelitis.  First AEDM is generally a fierce, devastating illness with far more disabling symptoms than you show.  I would consider it unlikely.  That leaves MS and that would be both my first and second guesses as to their cause.  The radiologist did mention that the lesions were non-specific, but I would guess that this particular radiologist does not like to "call" specific diagnoses.  So he includes other possibilities.  Migraine headaches do cause white matter lesions, but I have never heard them described in this specific manner.  That you also have a lesion in the cervical spine is far more suggestive of MS and not at all suggestive of migraine disease.

Your symptoms are also suggestive of a neurological disorder and MS would be included in here.  The appearance and then spreading of specfic (and not symmetrical on both sides) numbness is very typical of an MS attack.  The NCV/NCS being normal says the problems is not out in the peripheral nerves (outside the spinal column) but up in the brain, brainstem, or spinal cord.  This matches with your lesions.  The increase in headaches also fits, though is very nonspecific.  People with MS have a higher incidence of headaches than does the general population, and it is common for a person with headaches to suffer increasing numbers after onset of MS.

Now, I cannot diagnose you with MS opr anything, and I am NOT a neurologist.  But, your suspicions are high anyway and you know what you are suffering, that is, you KNOW something's wrong.  What you have written in your two posts is highly suggestive for MS and yes, you will be getting a referral to a neurologist on Tuesday.

I know that hearing these words, even from a nonspecialist, is hard.  But, if you are anything like me, everything you have read on the internet has seemed to say the same thing.  And we've all found that not knowing is far harder than being relatively sure.  Heck, I was almost jubilant when the new neuro said the words (My old neuro just dismissed me as a crock for  over two years).  Later I had trouble with anger and depression.  But a known word, name, target, villain, goal is far easier to live with than anknown fear and imaginings.

Now, it could be argued that I shouldn't have jumped in and given you my opinion (which BTW has been wrong a significant number of times).  But, knowledge is better than fear and not-knowing.  How old are you?  You do have quite a bit of osteoarthritis (usual aging stuff) on your cervical spine but not enough to cause the symtpoms and definitely copuld not cause the lesions.  If you are young (30 or under) you have some of the factors that statistically point to a milder course IF this is MS.  Young, female, sensory symptoms at presentation, and few lesions at onset are all generally associated with a more benign course.  That's not a rule, but a generalization I've seen in many reports.

Given this, I would concentrate on your wedding, (Congratulations, by the way!) but if there is anyway to get a diagnosis before the wedding, it would remove some of the feeling of being in limboland from your festivities.  There is some urgency to begin Disease Modifying Therapy so that it can begin to slow progression of the disease, if this is MS.  It would also help to discuss this with your fiance if you knew something more firmly.

Do you have any of the "systemic" symptoms common in MS?  Specifically the fatigue and the intolerance to heat?.

Again, my comments are late and I'm sorry.  I'll be glad and quicker to answer any questions that what I said brings up.  I hope you stay with us.  It's a great group and once we know you there is a lot of give and take.  Quix

[oncetri]

Concentrate on the wedding.  I knew you were looking at the results, becaue I too am that "figure things out" person.  I'm an engineer and not just at work.  It permeates into nearly every aspect of my life.  That advise was actually given to me by my brother, the king of relaxation (I think it's all that martial arts stuff).

[angela5674]

Thanks for the welcome!  I was one of those people who suspected this for awhile.  I had an MRI done in February on my cervical, w/out contrast, and nothing like this showed up...just some minimal degenerative disc disease and disc bulges.  I mostly had left shoulder and neck pain on a daily basis.  I got cortisone shots at the end of April, and my symptoms seemed to get better, although I was still fatigued much of the time.  At the end of June, I went on vacation back to Illinois (where I'm from originally) and about 3 days into my trip, my first 3 fingers on my left hand started going tingling, and then went partially numb.  About 1-2 weeks later, my whole left arm did the same thing.  Obviously, at this point, I'm wondering what the **** is going on.  My dr did a nerve conduction study on July 16th, which came back normal.  However, my symptoms continued to increase...now, my neck and jawline were numb, my face was tingling and numb some mornings upon waking, I had a tingling feeling that went through my head at times, as well as down the back of my left leg.  I was getting more headaches (I already suffer from migraines, but these had decreased since moving out west).  When my dr saw that my face was going numb, that's when he called for the brain scan w/ contrast.  The brain scan showed up w/ 3 lesions, and now the scan on my cervical showed lesions also (see my previous post called "Need help interpreting...").  It's kind of a scary time.  Oncetri...you're right, I need to quit looking at the results, but it's difficult because I'm the type that wants to "figure things out."  So, I'm trying to balance researching to stay informed with not personalizing that this really could be me I'm researching about.  Does that make sense?  Thanks guys for the quick return comments...it really helps to know there are others in the same position I'm in.  My appointment Tuesday is just with the pain doctor I was already going to...the one who called for the MRI.  I'm sure he'll refer me to a neuro, but I leave next Friday to go back to Illinois because I'm getting married on August 25th.  What I time to be finding all this medical stuff out!  I have a wedding to concentrate on!  :)

[oncetri]

Hi and welcome.  I know what you mean about freaking out.  My MRI brain results came in and my doctor called me at 9:30 at night on Monday.  He sounded a little confused and like it was racking his brain.  The report stated that there was possible inflammation on the right side and almo word for word what you just said.  I too have my neuro appointment on Tuesday (sounds like a big neuro day for the forum).

Hang in there.  I wish I could help you out, but I don't know either.  I'm just trying to stay focused on other things right now.  We both have to wait for the neuro to look at the films, they can better determine what's going on.  They're looking for specific things, that sometimes radiologists overlook.

I'm not sure if it's MS for me.  I never even thought about that when I started this journey of trying to find out what is wrong.  I thought my ob/gyn butchered me in the c-section, since this is when everything started.  As the months go by (8 to be exact), they are leaning more and more towards MS, but also stating it could be air in the brain from a botched epidural (never heard of that until now).  

I don't know about you, but I've looked at my films nearly every night now, and still don't know what I'm looking at.  I noticed though, that's not helping.  Try not to look, it might help.

[6-paq]

Hi Angela and welcome to the forum!  :)

The thread by Quix is entitled "How MRI's Show MS Lesions" and I believe it is now on page 3.  VERY helpful ~ thank Quix!  ;-)

I "freaked out" too when my neuro and I were looking at my MRI.    I read about lots about people who suspect MS then go to a neuro.  I was the opposite.   I never had suspected "MS" (I'm still un-Dx'd btw).  I thought my issues were due to lower back stuff, a pinched nerve and sinus problems.  Totally caught me off-guard.   I'm still trying to deal with it all.

As far as your MRI, mine also states "non-specific"  ~ "Focal alterations of white matter highly suspect for demyelinating disease but nonspecific" is what is actually reads.  I have 2 lesions.   As you state, your neuro will have to do the ultimate interpretation.  My neuro wasn't concerned about one of my lesions due to it's look, size and location.  The other is very suspect for MS.

HTH and I wish you the best at your appt on Tuesday.  Please keep us updated!

Take care!  Pat :)