Normal MRI or should I get a second opinion?

[JamieKarl]

Earlier this year I was sick for about a month with a constant migraine, fatigue, numbness and painful tingling all over my body but particularly in my hands, feet and lips. I had an MRI and blood tests and was told that everything came back normal. After a while I started feeling much better although I still have some tingling and numbness occasionally. I'm obviously really happy to be feeling better but I still would like to have known what was actually wrong.

I went to a private company for the MRI and they sent the results to my GP. While I never saw the actual report from the MRI I was given a copy of the CD. I know I'm no doctor and MRI's can be very hard to read but I did notice a weird portion on my MRI which almost looks shriveled up on one side while the other side seems fine. I've looked at other normal MRIs and never noticed this before.

I feel stupid asking my doctor about this since he said the MRI was normal but I just wanted to ask, based on the picture I've attached, should I be at all concerned about my MRI or even try and see a neurologist? I don't want to be paranoid over nothing and I would love to hear its just something normal that someone who understood MRI's wouldn't bother over but for now I can't help feeling a little concerned. What do you think? Does this look like something I should be concerned about?

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. I understand your dilemma. Keeping in view your MRI findings, Your doctor will need to investigate her for multiple sclerosis where the disease phase is characterized by active phase and remissions. It has multiple symptoms and signs and is a diagnosis of exclusion. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness in any area, problems with walking and coordination, tremors in one or more arms and legs. Bowel and bladder symptoms include frequency of micturition, urine leakage, eye symptoms like double vision uncontrollable rapid eye movements, facial pain, painful muscle spasms, tingling, burning in arms or legs, depression, dizziness, hearing loss, fatigue etc. The treatment is essentially limited to symptomatic therapy so the course of action would not change much whether MS has been diagnosed or not. Apart from clinical neurological examination, MRI shows MS as paler areas of demyelination, two different episodes of demyelination separated by one month in at least two different brain locations. Spinal tap is done and CSF electrophoresis reveals oligoclonal bands suggestive of immune activity, which is suggestive but not diagnostic of MS. Demyelinating neurons, transmit nerve signals slower than non-demyelinated ones and can be detected with EP tests. These are visual evoked potentials, brain stem auditory evoked response, and somatosensory evoked potential. Slower nerve responses in any one of these is not confirmatory of MS but can be used to complement diagnosis along with a neurological examination, medical history and an MRI in addition, a spinal tap. Therefore, it would be prudent to consult your neurologist with these concerns. Take care.

[squirtatious]

I ALWAYS obtain a written report of my mri. Some drs may not be as trained in certain areas as others and can occastionally "miss" important information, throwing it aside as normal when it is indeed not. I have severe DDD and spondylolisthesis which caused severe bilateral foraminal stenosis which resulted in significant bilateral root nerve compression at L5/S1. My main symtoms were extreme weakness of leg muscles, very abnormal gait, and horrifying screaming pain in both legs from the thighs down. One neurologist actually sat facing me when he told me my mri was normal and that he didn't see anything that would concern him. Another neurologist said I needed back surgery. So moral of my story, get a print out of ur written mri, and if something doesn't look right, seek another opinion!! I wish you well!

[youngwife]

Hi there!  

I just came across your post, and looked at your MRI pictures.  While I am by NO means a doctor, I have studied and researched Chiari Malformation quite extensively, because my daughter has it.

I would suggest that you do some reading on this, and just see if the symptoms sound like what you have been experiencing.  I pray that Chiari is NOT what you have, but I just felt compelled to mention it, just in case.

If you need help finding information on it, I will be happy to help you.  MedHelp actually has a Chiari Malformation Forum as well.

Blessings,

Rebecca

[Londres70]

I totally agree with Narble.  He gave some very good points.

[Narble]

Your MRI does look a bit odd, but I've seen a lot of brain images (my own MRI included) where something seems odd, but the neurologists and radiologists all agree it's "unremarkable."

Your GP is probably just quoting from a report written by the radiologist who looked at your MRI. It's certainly worth making an appt. with a neurologist and sitting with him while s/he looks through your MRI. I did that with mine, and it was actually fun and educational, basically getting a guided tour of my own brain from a specialist.

I'm sure you know that the brain itself has no sensory neurons, so you can't feel your brain hurting. The persistence of your symptoms is another good reason to get a second opinion.

If it makes you feel better, I've seen three neurologists on multiple occasions in the past few years, and along with my MRI have had EEGs, EMGs, NCVs, etc. It's fine to "chase your diagnosis," as one of my docs puts it.

[JamieKarl]

Thanks Londres70.

My symptoms now are mild enough that I wouldn't pay attention to them if it wasn't for the fact that I experienced such a worse version of them before.I get occasional tingling in lips, fingers or toes, but its not nearly as painful or distracting as it was before. I also get sudden headaches that seem localized to one particular spot but they don't last too long, although I have never been prone to headaches. Sometimes my left eye also gets blurry and doesn't seem to focus well.

[Londres70]

The second image looks strange in my opinion.  What symptoms are you having now?  
I would seek a second opinion from a Neurologist.  

[JamieKarl]

Does anyone have any insight here? Even its its just to say the picture of the MRI I enclosed looks like nothing to worry about? I'd really appreciate any help.

[16yearoldmale13]

I have felt the same way for about a month and also had an MRI and it came back normal.  I am still experiencing the tingling/numbness; however, it seems worse at night.  I hope we both find our answers soon!