Aa
Pickup my last head MRI today. Need of decipher!
Today I went and picked up a copy of my head MRI for last January. I looked at the images and the only thing I could spot that might seem a little bit off is a small white dot on the left side in the middle of the grey matter. I also noticed that the MRI says it was done without contrast. I thought I remembered it being done with contrast but maybe I was remembering some other MRI that was done. So much for that Neurologist checking to see if I have MS! Below is the text of the MRI report.
HEAD CT UNCONTRASTED
TECHNIQUE- Uncontrasted CT examination of the brain obtained.
FINDINGS- Mild cerebral cortical atrophy. *****
No acute infarct, hemorrhage, edema, mass or midline shift. Mild mucosal thickening is identified within the right posterior ethmoid air cells. A small amount of fluid signal is identified within
the right middle ear and right mastoid air cells. ******
IMPRESSION-
No acute intracranial process evident.
Incidentally detected fluid in the right middle ear and mastoid air cells.
No skull fracture.
END OF REPORT
Any impressions would be appreicated.
I also picked up the MRIs of my left & right knees at the same time. I am also including these reoprts if anyone (Quix?) would like to coment.
LEFT KNEE
FINDINGS - The ACL, PCL, and extensor mechanism are intact.
The collateral ligaments are within normal limits. The popliteus muscle/tendon complex is unremarkable.
The lateral meniscus demonstrates minor free edge fraying.
The medial meniscus demonstrates undersurface volume loss of the posterior horn with oblique extension into the substance of the meniscus compatible with a shallow oblique undersurface tear.
There is mild free edge truncation, as well.
There is cartilage thinning within both the lateral and medial compartments without high grade focal defect. The patellofemoral compartment cartilage is preserved. There may be mild
chondromalacia along the medial patellar facet.
Tiny Baker's cyst. The bones and soft tissues are otherwise unremarkable.
IMPRESSION -
MRI LEFT KNEE WITHOUT CONTRAST -
1. Worsening of the volume loss/irregularity of the undersurface of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus.
2. Cartilage thinning within both the medial and lateral compartments without focal high grade defect.
RIGHT KNEE
FINDINGS - The ACL, PCL, and extensor mechanism are within normal limits.
The LCL, MCL, biceps tendon, and iliotibial band are unremarkable. The popliteus muscle-tendon complex is intact.
The lateral meniscus is within normal limits.
The medial meniscus is within normal limits.
Mild cartilaginous irregularity within the weightbearing portion of the central lateral tibial plateau is identified. No definitive full thickness defects are seen. Suspect a focal area of
partial thickness cartilage loss along the weightbearing central portion of the medial femoral condyle.
There is partial thickness cartilage loss along the patellar apex.
No joint effusion. Small Baker cyst.
Within the medial suprapatellar recess, there is a small area of blooming measuring approximately 3 mm. This is nonspecific but may reflect a small loose body. Differential does include a small
amount of periarticular fat insinuating into this region.
No evidence of stress reaction or fracture is identified.
IMPRESSION -
1. Cruciate and collateral ligaments are intact.
2. No focal meniscal pathology is evident.
3. Partial thickness scattered areas of cartilage loss are identified.
4. Possible small suprapatellar loose body.
5. Small Baker cyst.
END OF REPORTS
Dennis
HEAD CT UNCONTRASTED
TECHNIQUE- Uncontrasted CT examination of the brain obtained.
FINDINGS- Mild cerebral cortical atrophy. *****
No acute infarct, hemorrhage, edema, mass or midline shift. Mild mucosal thickening is identified within the right posterior ethmoid air cells. A small amount of fluid signal is identified within
the right middle ear and right mastoid air cells. ******
IMPRESSION-
No acute intracranial process evident.
Incidentally detected fluid in the right middle ear and mastoid air cells.
No skull fracture.
END OF REPORT
Any impressions would be appreicated.
I also picked up the MRIs of my left & right knees at the same time. I am also including these reoprts if anyone (Quix?) would like to coment.
LEFT KNEE
FINDINGS - The ACL, PCL, and extensor mechanism are intact.
The collateral ligaments are within normal limits. The popliteus muscle/tendon complex is unremarkable.
The lateral meniscus demonstrates minor free edge fraying.
The medial meniscus demonstrates undersurface volume loss of the posterior horn with oblique extension into the substance of the meniscus compatible with a shallow oblique undersurface tear.
There is mild free edge truncation, as well.
There is cartilage thinning within both the lateral and medial compartments without high grade focal defect. The patellofemoral compartment cartilage is preserved. There may be mild
chondromalacia along the medial patellar facet.
Tiny Baker's cyst. The bones and soft tissues are otherwise unremarkable.
IMPRESSION -
MRI LEFT KNEE WITHOUT CONTRAST -
1. Worsening of the volume loss/irregularity of the undersurface of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus.
2. Cartilage thinning within both the medial and lateral compartments without focal high grade defect.
RIGHT KNEE
FINDINGS - The ACL, PCL, and extensor mechanism are within normal limits.
The LCL, MCL, biceps tendon, and iliotibial band are unremarkable. The popliteus muscle-tendon complex is intact.
The lateral meniscus is within normal limits.
The medial meniscus is within normal limits.
Mild cartilaginous irregularity within the weightbearing portion of the central lateral tibial plateau is identified. No definitive full thickness defects are seen. Suspect a focal area of
partial thickness cartilage loss along the weightbearing central portion of the medial femoral condyle.
There is partial thickness cartilage loss along the patellar apex.
No joint effusion. Small Baker cyst.
Within the medial suprapatellar recess, there is a small area of blooming measuring approximately 3 mm. This is nonspecific but may reflect a small loose body. Differential does include a small
amount of periarticular fat insinuating into this region.
No evidence of stress reaction or fracture is identified.
IMPRESSION -
1. Cruciate and collateral ligaments are intact.
2. No focal meniscal pathology is evident.
3. Partial thickness scattered areas of cartilage loss are identified.
4. Possible small suprapatellar loose body.
5. Small Baker cyst.
END OF REPORTS
Dennis
Forget what I said about the head MRI/CT. I just looked at the report again and noticed that they gave me the CT from when I had the ear ache instead of the MRI I requested.
Dennis
Dennis
I don't understand why it says it was a CT. When I was at the hospital today the heading in their database said it was a head MRI. I also think I remember them giving me an IV for contrast which this report also said was without contrast. But them my memory and time relationships tend to be not that great.
I did post a picture of that one white spot I noticed in my pictures area. I also noticed that the left and right side of my brain don't seem to very symetrical as I always thought they should be.
There are a few things in the report that I don't understand.
Mild mucosal thickening is identified within the right posterior ethmoid air cells
What does this mean?
Mild cerebral cortical atrophy
Is this waht you meant before about a lision?
A small amount of fluid signal is identified within
the right middle ear and right mastoid air cells
About 2 months after the report was read by my neurologist I had to go to an ENT doctor due to severe ear ache. A good indication how bad this one was.
On the knee MRI
Differential does include a small
amount of periarticular fat insinuating into this region
What does this mean?
Dennis
I did post a picture of that one white spot I noticed in my pictures area. I also noticed that the left and right side of my brain don't seem to very symetrical as I always thought they should be.
There are a few things in the report that I don't understand.
Mild mucosal thickening is identified within the right posterior ethmoid air cells
What does this mean?
Mild cerebral cortical atrophy
Is this waht you meant before about a lision?
A small amount of fluid signal is identified within
the right middle ear and right mastoid air cells
About 2 months after the report was read by my neurologist I had to go to an ENT doctor due to severe ear ache. A good indication how bad this one was.
On the knee MRI
Differential does include a small
amount of periarticular fat insinuating into this region
What does this mean?
Dennis
I was still writing while Quix posted. See, I told yo that someone with more knowlege will come along!
Kathy
Kathy
Hi there,
Your head imaging is a CT, not an MRI, and the report really doesn't say much. Do you have an earache on the right side at all?
As for the knees, your tendons and ligaments appear to be in good shape. You have some fraying of meniscus, and a possible tear in the medial meniscus in the left knee. It looks like you have cartilage thinning, especially on the weight bearing areas, and a possible loose body above your patella.
Chondromalacia is when the cartilage starts to break down, and not be as good of a cushion in your knees. Mild is grade 1; my knees contain grades 3 and 4, as well as a large chondral defect.
Small Baker's cysts usually cause no problems.
I'm no expert, just someone with really bad knees that has read a lot of MRI reports and looked at a lot of my own MRIs. I'm 12 years younger than you and have a lot more damage in my knees, and I'm not doing too badly. My main problem is that my Anterior Cruciate Ligament that I've had repaired twice in my left knee is becoming thinner and looser, so my damaged areas are grinding together more and hurting more.
Of course, you really need your doctor to explain all this to you, and explain the parts that I missed or possibly misunderstood; like I said, I'm no expert.
I'm just someone that understands knee damage and how hard it is to wait to hear from the doctor what their impression is.
I'm sure someone with more knowledge will come along, but I would think that a head CT would be more to look for signs of stroke or tumors, not MS. I remember reading that CT is not good for imaging MS lesions; that MRI is the way to obtain the clearest picture.
If you haven't had a brain MRI in the past year, I think it would be time to get one!
You take good care of yourself, please!
Kathy
Your head imaging is a CT, not an MRI, and the report really doesn't say much. Do you have an earache on the right side at all?
As for the knees, your tendons and ligaments appear to be in good shape. You have some fraying of meniscus, and a possible tear in the medial meniscus in the left knee. It looks like you have cartilage thinning, especially on the weight bearing areas, and a possible loose body above your patella.
Chondromalacia is when the cartilage starts to break down, and not be as good of a cushion in your knees. Mild is grade 1; my knees contain grades 3 and 4, as well as a large chondral defect.
Small Baker's cysts usually cause no problems.
I'm no expert, just someone with really bad knees that has read a lot of MRI reports and looked at a lot of my own MRIs. I'm 12 years younger than you and have a lot more damage in my knees, and I'm not doing too badly. My main problem is that my Anterior Cruciate Ligament that I've had repaired twice in my left knee is becoming thinner and looser, so my damaged areas are grinding together more and hurting more.
Of course, you really need your doctor to explain all this to you, and explain the parts that I missed or possibly misunderstood; like I said, I'm no expert.
I'm just someone that understands knee damage and how hard it is to wait to hear from the doctor what their impression is.
I'm sure someone with more knowledge will come along, but I would think that a head CT would be more to look for signs of stroke or tumors, not MS. I remember reading that CT is not good for imaging MS lesions; that MRI is the way to obtain the clearest picture.
If you haven't had a brain MRI in the past year, I think it would be time to get one!
You take good care of yourself, please!
Kathy
In your report of the imaging of the head it says "CT of the head." Is this correct or was it an MRI? Big difference because CTs are useless for visualizing MS lesions. I await your answer.
Q
Q
A small PS to my post. After the previous MRI this Neuro said I had 3 small strokes in the area of the vision center ( that one was about 1 year earlier). I see nothing in this head MRI about strokes.
Dennis
Dennis
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Multiple Sclerosis Community
Top Neurology Answerers
Australia
ON
Queensland, Australia
Queen Creek, AZ
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease
