what does white matter brain changes mean??

[starr2133]

anybody know what it means the white matter of your brain is changing mean???? i had an mMRI done and it came back changes of the white matter, along with hypertension and constant headaches, nausea, dizzines, and always tired.... i had all my blood work done it all came back normal, except the head scan.... . is insufficient white matter changes????????????????????????? im only 35

[Butch4]

Iv just got MRI test back iv got white matter lesion and moca test showing 18/26 x

[Lulu54]

My neuro told me recently that the radiologists do as little as possible - just enough to be able to bill the insurance company.  The true reading of the tests is done by him. He told me that after I complained that my MRI report said nothing basically.

It sure doesn't help those people who can't get easy access to their doctor for answers.
Lulu

[Heather3418]

I agree with you about radiology reports.  I have seen very few that looked like they took the time to really study them.  I think a patients treatment can depend on the completeness and understanding of these reports.  Most radiology reports just saw they see some lesions, but don't really point to the area that they are in.

This happened on my last rad report and I turned it over to my Neuro to look into it.  She told me that half the lesions that were seen, were not even reported.  Especially when they were compared with the MRI of a year ago.  They said there had been no change, when in fact there has been quite a change ofver that past year.  Quite a disservice to the patient....

Heather

[PastorDan]

On the topic of white matter, MRIs, and such, shouldn't there be some kind of standard for what a radiologist is expected to report, and how well it is to be described?

As an example, my (so far only) MRI report says that there are 4 "T2 hyperintensities in the deep and subcortical white matter."  Okay, front, back, left, right?  Temporal, parietal, occipital?  I'm sure others trying to understand their illness have had similar vague information, haven't they?  If not on MRIs, maybe other types of tests.  They tell you so little that you get no indication of where you're going.

[HOUSEGO]

I HAVE HAD ALL SAME RESULTS AS YOU WITH WHITE MATTER AREA CHANGE OF THE BRAIN,I ALSO HAD A MUSCLE  BIOPSY DONE WHICH CAME BACK AS A DIAOGNOIS OF A MITOCHONDRIAL MYOPATHY .LIKE YOU I HAD MANY TEST,S WHICH CAME BACK OK .ONLY WHEN HAD BIOPSY AND M.R.I SCAN DID IT REVEAL PROBLEM .STILL IN MIDDLE OF ANSWERS BUT NOW BEEN REFERD TO A NEUROGOGIST?

[Wobbly]

when do you see the Neuro for results..??  

[biowham]

And what's your BP? Are you taking anything to control it? This sounds vascular to me, so far.

BioW

[biowham]

Well..maybe they're chronic, but at least treatable, I should say.

BioW

[biowham]

Hello, Starr. The white matter of your brain consists of the extensions of the nerve cells of your brain. These extensions are called axons, and they're coated with a fatty substance called myelin that gives a shiny white appearance to the brain. The part of your brain where the nerve cell bodies themselves are is the "grey matter." Think of your brain as a bunch of networked computers, with the computers as the cell bodies and the wires connecting them as the axons, and that's a decent enough analogy.

Different processes can cause changes in the white matter. These include the results of ischemia, or oxygen deprivation to areas of the brain because of blood vessel blockage (also associated with migraines, hypertension?). They also can be changes that arise from inflammation of these areas of the brain, leading to scarring of the myelin around the axons that shows up as differences within the normal white matter.

I'm not sure how the word "insufficient" was used. Can you quote from your report?

Also...don't get overly alarmed. These changes can result from different processes, some of which are highly treatable and not chronic.

BioWaddle