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Abnormal MRI

Hello~
   I had an MRI done on 7/31/10 after having two brief episodes in 6 months of losing vision in the outer half of my right eye for about 30min.  I have also been having some issues with memory and coming to ideas or getting words out ( i know what I want to say but just can't say it).  I can only describe it as just feeling mentally "off" for the past two years.  I am 27 years old. My MRI said the following:

"No mass or mass effect.  Vascular voids are present.  Multiple T2 signal abnormalities are seen in the white matter.  No abnormal enhancement.  The finding is nonspecific.  Differential  diagnoses include multiple sclerosis, migraine or vasculitis."

I do not get migraine headaches.  I get mild dull headaches weekly but have been under a lot of stress lately.  What does this MRI mean?  My primary physcian didn't seem concerned about it but said I was worried enough to warrant a visit to the neurologist.  Now the neurologist is ordering a special test to check for optic nerve inflammation, a lumbar puncture and a whole bunch of lab tests.   I would say that he seems pretty concerned if he is ordering all these things.  What are vascular voids and what does no abnormal enhancement mean?  An MRI would pick up if it was a tumor right??  What does no mass or mass effect mean?  The neurologist didn't really explain this to me.  Please help!  I'm very nervous to have to be doing all these tests.  I'm newly married and afraid to start a family until I know what this all means.  
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620923 tn?1452915648

  Hi...I want to invite u to join the chiari forum here on MedHelp....many with chiari do not realize until involved in a MVA....

I too went thru early menopause and have chiari.....

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Chiari-Malformation/show/257?controller=forums&action=show&id=257&camp=msc

      "selma"
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Avatar universal
Hello;
I was in an auto accident in 1990 and have suffered from Migraines since then. Unfortunately, I was in another accident in 1999 where I was hit on one side and slammed into a tree on the other, and bounced back into the street..

The 1999 accident left me with disc bulge/herniations and Severe Chronic Migraines.

MRI 2007 show no protrusions at C2-3, C3-4, C4-5  but C5-6 there is mild ridging/ protrusion. There is Anterior cord complex but no cord stenosis.

L5-S1 Severe disc disease with dessication, endplate deformities, reactive changes Posterior disc broad herniation, this causes moderate centeral & moderate bilateral foraninal stenosis. There is a far left lateral disc herniation which is beyond the direct lateral disc space. This may or may not cause nerve impingement.

2006 -T1 and T2 well demarcated bright vertebral lesions measures approx. 5 mm consistant with benign etiology such as hemangioma or area of fat. Unchanged from 2000 films, no cord signal abnormality or syrinx is seen.

2011 MRI T2 no evidence of mass effect or hemorrhage or midline shift. No extraaxial fluids seen. There are some mild areas of T2 hyperintensity in the centrum semivale and corona radiata, likely chronic small vessel ischemic change. No evidence of restricted diffusion to suggest acute infraction. Visible protions of the intracranial vasculature demonstrate some tortuosity, but otherwise unremarkable flow voids. There are some persistant low lying cerebellar  tonsils, borderline for Chiari I malformation.

MRI 2011 shows C5-6 slight disc space narrowing and slight retrolisthesis with respect to C4 and C6.

I am 50 yr old female that went through early menapause - cycles just stopped at age 29. I went to the dr had several tests. tried hrc, but it was so painful and made me sick. I talked to her and told them that I was not going through that again. And I have never tried it again.

I have tried several types of medicine for migraines and they have not worked until I started taking Topamax & Relpax. but even with increased amounts, I still have really bad migraines.

Over tha last 3-4 years I have started having a lot of noticible problems with my memory and thought process. My family has also noticed a big difference on my emails -I was an office manager for 15 yrs snd had to know how to write professional letters, especially to our government contractors.

But now I make terrible typos all of the time, if I send correspondence to anyone outside of the family it takes me a very long time to finish it because I have to keep going back over it to try and correct my mistakes.

I have had a intermitten light tremor in both hands for 8 months that has gotten worse, especially in my Rt hand. Especially if i pick up anything.

That said, I am in constant pain day and night even with medication. I have great difficulty sitting( have old injury to coccyx) long periods, sleeping because I can't get comfortable.

I am currently taking from Neuro - Topamax, Relpax, and Tarazadone for chronic pain and lack of sleep. Pain Specialist - Flexeril 5mg, Morphine 15mg, and Oxycodone 7.25mg.

I am concerned about the T1& T2 lesions and whether it could possibly be something more than an area of fat. But when the Neurologist saw the report she just said "you have a beautiful brain".  Nothing was mentioned about the findings, I got a copy of the report and that is how I found aout about it.
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Avatar universal
What does the "vascular voids present" mean?
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1093617 tn?1279302002
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi, Thank you for your question. Your MRI report suggests that symptoms could be due to white matter disease. There can be many possibilities in your case that involve the brain white matter, either exclusively or in combination with grey matter changes. These include metabolism errors, exogenous toxins released by virus, autoimmune disease, leukodystrophy, demyelination, and radiation effects. Spasticity, muscle weakness, paralysis, hyper-reflexia and movement disorder may be the clinical features associated with white matter disease that need to be evaluated thoroughly. However, it is sad to say that there is no permanent cure but conservative treatment & physiotherapy exercises that would help you to regain your normal function and stopping the further progression of the disease. Please consult a neurologist in this regards. Hope this helps.

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