Please help explain this report

[madisonshye]

I am confused by this MRI.  Could someone give me an idea if this means?

MRI due to numbness, tingling, weakness spasms in arms and legs.

Impression:  
No evidence of acute ischemia or enhancing mass lesions in the brain parenchyma
Multiple foci of abnormal T2 signal visualized in periventricular and subcortical white matter, and in the left thalamus, T2 signal at the callosal septal interface and question of lesions in the corpus callosum.  Findings are nonspecific and differential concentrations are chronic small vessel ischemic disease, migraines, and, however a demyelinating process cannot be completely excluded.  Further evaluation with CSF analysis and evoked potentials would be helpful.

Questions.
What is this actually saying? Is this a strong possibility of MS, or do they just recommend having further testing for the sake of it? According to them the lesions are not "MS like"?
Is it common to have so many lesions? AND I am only 44 with no migraine history so this this report kind of worries me a bit.    

Just trying to determine if pursuing the other tests are really necessary if there is not a real chance for MS.

Could someone help advise me?

[COBOB]

I'd say JJ nailed it.  The changes they see could be MS, Migraine Disease (not just headaches, there are other types of migraines) or small vessel arteriopathy (narrowing or blockage of small vessels.)  CSF analysis and Evoked Potentials are tests that can help in the differential diagnosis.

Bob

[supermum_ms]

From my understanding, these results dont exclude MS from the list of possibles. So these finding plus your sx indicates the need for further testing to point towards or away from MS. LP and evoked potentials are common additional tests when looking at a possible dx of MS.

So i'd say at this stage the MRI alone isn't enough to dx (anything) and MS is still possible though not obvious so additional tests are necessary if you want to find out what is causing your sx.

Cheers.......JJ