Hey thanks - I appreciate it so much! You did answer my question and I dont know much either. My next appointment with my neuro is in december!
He keeps telling me (without me asking) you donot have ms. I told him well I sure am glad! What is it that is wrong with me? hehehehe.
Lynette
Hi! I wouls suggest leaving Quix a note to take a look at this thread. She may not notice it.
I do know she hasn't been feeling well, too. So it may take a bit for her to get to you.
It does seem the radiologist sees no evidence of demyelination, no lesions. I'm not sure, though that it was done with MS protocol with the slices thin enough to rule it out, because the diagnosis they were actually trying to rule out was acoustic neuroma. They did that for me, too, because I have hearing loss and vertigo...
I think my subsequent MRIs have looked different when they have been trying lately to rule out MS. I have noticed on the sides of the cd images it says 3mm.
Much of this is still all Greek to me, though. I hope hey do get to an answer for you, Lynnette!
Feel well,
Zilla*
Did you miss this? He put also at the end ------
No evidence of CNS demyelinating paquing is noted. Just wondering if you missed my last comment on the 26th. I know you are busy.
Lynette
The machine was a 1.5 tesla - he put that he was concerned about possible acoustic neuroma because I have been having vertigo, and hearing changes and some ataxia he says.
He does not think I have MS. I dont know what I have - I thought I had a stroke but...now I dont know what is going on.
He has his own mri machine - I dont see him again until December. I wish I could rule out stroke or ms just give me a diagnosis.
Thanks so much for reading this. You are wonderful. I dont know what I would do without you.
Lynette
No. The MS Protocol is the description of "how" the MRI should be done in the first place.
It specifies that the imaging should be done on a machine of minimum strength of 1T
The imaging should be done in 3mm slices or less. Any larger and critical lesions can be lost.
The slices should be continguous with no segments skipped as is done in many MRIs.
There are special techniques that should be done during the MRI imaging. I'd have to look them up for exactly what they are.
So, the protocol has to be specified when the MRI is ordered. When you get an MRI for some other reason, they may not have adhered to the techniques needed in the protocol for maximum visualization of MS lesions.
Does all this make sense?
Quix
Contrast should be used.
So what you are saying is that when an MRI is done on a patient who is showing sx of MS, they should be read differently by the radiologist?
Sorry to sound like a dumb dumb but I am trying to understand.
Can you take previous MRI disk and have them re-read using this MS protocol?
Or, is it only used for people with a definate dx of MS?
I am searching through the health pages................
~Tonya
The definition of the MS protocol is as follows:
A protocol is the set of rules, policies and procedures that the researchers and staff conducting a clinical trial must follow. If you are participating or considering participation in a clinical trial, you have a right to request the protocol. The protocol will have all the details about scheduling, dosages, monitoring and other procedures. In an MS trial, the protocol should have previsions for monitoring relapses and will often include routine MRI scans.
You can probably find more information on this in the Health Pages in the upper right hand corner of this page. I hope this helped.
Lots of Hugs,
Rena
Not to sound ignorant, what is the MS Protocol?
Is it just the ordering DR putting in "THE REASON FOR STUDY" section.....possible demyl disease or rule out demyl disease?
Thanks,
~T
Do you know what strength the MRI machine was? Also, was it ordered with the request for MS Protocol? If not, it would not be an adequate study for consideration of MS.
It really doesn't say much. At your elderly age, lol, all small hyperintense lesions will automatically be attributed to small vessel ischemic disease. The problem is that is just a guess. MS can present this way. And you have symptoms. Mild "ischemic disease" is assymptomatic unless they are saying you are having strokes.
That's why the neuro has to take into consideration all your history and exam findings. They did the MRI to look for evidence of neurologic problems. It is one of the commonest errors we see to dismiss small T2 Hyperintense lesions as "age-related." At the age of 51, they might be, but they might not be. It is better medical thinking to assume they are "part of the problem you are being seen for", but too many neuros can't seem to think that broadly.
You need to find out whether the MRI was done using MS protocol and what strength machine it was done on.
Oh, and take the sinus inflammation with several grains of salt. MRI overcall sinus disease by a lot. If there are symptoms consistent with sinus disease, then the "gold standard" for diagnosing sinus disease is a CT scan without contrast.
Quix
Thank you, you are an angel
Lynette
bumping up for you Lynette! :)
Sorry, sweetie....I know absolutely zero about reading this stuff.....
I hope someone helps you out soon...
HUGS!
Tammy