Question about terminology

[Buffy1970]

I am reading an old MRI report and to me it looks contradictory.  2-3 nonenhancing t2 hyperintense foci w/i anterior subcortical white matter.  

Isn't nonenhancing the op of hyperintense (also can't figure out where the *&%% this is... not on other MRI reports).

Thanks and Sorry to ask about what is most likely overly simplistic but good ol' google isn't helping.

[Buffy1970]

Thanks LuLu.  That helped.  Yes, I know much of our brain is not used as we understand it.  It just struck me as funny the way it was phrased.  I had the glowing spots in another area but it is good to know that some were repairing themselves.

Is it normal for large areas of the brain to appear to glow?  Not spots, more like a halo around areas?  

Take care.

[Lulu54]

no questions are too silly around here.  Hyperintense just refers to the fact that the mri signal was able to pick up these abnormal areas on the images.  It means they stand out amongst all the other stuff in your brain.  

Nonenhancing means there are no active lesions - the contrast agent given will enhance (make glow in simple terms) any lesions that are newer than about 40 days.  Older lesions don't enhance.  That is how they can see if we have active MS going on or if it is older damage.

Funny thing about thebrain - there is so much territory up there that we don't use.  The neuroplasticity allows the necessary signals to be rerouted around damaged areas.  It is possible to have many lesions and have no clinical symptoms that match those damaged areas.
Lulu

[Buffy1970]

Just read something really funny - article about migraines causing wm lesion in brain but they [doctors] don't know if the lesions cause further health problems...

Isn't any damage to the brain not a good thing whether you know right away what the specific damage is?

reminds me of Monty Python's it's merely a "flesh wound!"