How easy is it to spot spinal lesions on a 1.5T MRI?

[ANonnyMouse]

I was thinking about what the Neuro told me, which is that my sx all appear consistent with a spinal cord lesion, but she only gave the plastic films a cursory glance and said the spine looked clear (heaps on my brain though) and wasn't at all interested in seeing the DVD. I was looking at the actual DVD of the scans and the images are clearer and able to be zoomed in etc, and I could swear there's something there at C6/7, but it could equally be my eyes playing tricks on me.

Is it worth getting them to look again? I'm due for another MRI in a couple of months, but it will be on the same 1l5T machine so will no doubt be just as faint.

[Lulu54]

Your options to move on to another neuro are limited down undeer, from what I understand.  If there is any way at all to change docs, I would do it.  Being a patient with a bad feeling toward the specialist who is supposed to be your partner is not a good situation.

good luck, Lulu

[ANonnyMouse]

Thanks for the replies. I'm still in the "probable" stage of dx plus I'm breastfeeding so no DMD's for me yet. I'm just annoyed at how unconcerned the neuro when throwing her opinion out there without even bothering to give the films more than a cursory glance. She seemed to be suggesting that because my symptoms were more "spinal lesion" sounding, and in her opinion the spine was clear, then she wasn't really interested and just sent me away to await another MRI in 6 - 8 months time.

I hate feeling dismissed.

[sllowe]

Annonny,

It's definitely not reassuring when the ordering neuro doesn't look @ the imaging is it. Mine didn't much either. That's why it's so important to be in a competent facility - one with thorough neurorads in order to feel some confidence in what they are stating they see. Mine have wrong on more than one occasion.

If the doc saw something on the imaging he could call the facility and request additional scans as an add on to the originals.

I understand the spine is difficult to image. We have some health pages that address this - have you peeked at the one, How MRIs show lesions?

I've never had anything higher than a 1.5 either - one day I say I'm going to push for the 3T.

ttys,
Shell

[COBOB]

If you are diagnosed, it really doesn't matter where the lesions are.  Are you on a DMD?  If so they should be treating symptoms.  There is no way to treat lesions.  Many Neuros don't "read" films or review the DVDs and rely on the impression of the radiologists.  

Spinal lesions tend to be very subtle since the lesions proton density is very close to the proton density of the spinal cord.  The best place to see what MS lesions look like in the spinal cord is
Chapter 7 of the "MRI Atlas of MS Lesions"
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8817608/MRI-Atlas-of-MS-Lesions

Bob
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