White matter on the brain

[Pam]

Hi, actually I have lot's of questions,but this is the main one.I suffer from a lot of things-vertigo,chronic pain through out my body,double vision,muscle weakness,to name a few.I've had 3 MRI'S of the brain,each 2 yrs. apart.All show white matter in area's of the brain.Had a lumbar puncture,MS was ruled out.I was told it's FMS.But, I can't get a clear answer about the spots on my brain.Why ar they there and will they affect me some how?I sure would appreciate any info. you can give me.Many Thanks

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Terri Elder"

It is difficult for me to tell you exactly what is going on as I have not seen the films.  But, I am guessing that the white matter changes are age related.  As we age and undergo the diseases of life and our lifestyle our brain changes.  We loose neurons and the cells that myelinate the neuronal axons that travel down the brain into our bodies also die.  On an MRI, this would be indicated by white matter changes in the periventricular region of the brain.  The loss of neurons and brain cells would cause the ventricles to slightly enlarge to compensate for the loss of brain matter. The enlarged cisterna magna is likely a normal variant and nothing to be worried about.  The changes in his spinal column are also likely lifestyle or trauma related and they just mean that the boney structures are degenerating and the vertebrae are sliding out of alignment. The marrow changes are age-related and signal vertebral degeneration.

I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[Terri Eder]

My father-in-law has had headaches, neck pain and syncopal episodes.  An MRI was done to the brain and he was told he has a mild periventricular white matter disease.  He is 59, was born in Germany during WWII, he is Jewish.  He has also been told the cisterna magna is somewhat prominent.  The third ventricle is slightly enlarged.
An MRI was done to the cervical spine and he was told there is evidence of multi-level spondylltic degenerative changes, degenerative end plate changes and degenerative marrow signal.  The most prominent spondylltic change is noted at C6-7 in which there appears to be a disc osteophyte complex.

I cannot understand what this means.  Any way I can have an english (and simplified) version of what is wrong with him?
Thank you!
Terri

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

you are welcome.  Let us know how things turn out.

CCF Neuro MD

[Skip Chang]

THANK YOU!  Your response has given us some needed hope.  We do realize that you cannot diagnose my wife's condition over the net.  However, your insight was extremely valuable for our peace of mind.

Follow up to the follow up.

Sorry for the redundant question.  I guess my bookmarks were stale and did not get your answer before I posted my second set of questions.  

Thanks again for your feedback.

LESS Worried husband in Colorado Springs

[Skip Chang]

Update to my previous post:

After reading the responses from the doctors to the other posts, I have additional questions:

1.  My wife's symptoms seems to get worsen when the weather gets cold.  Does this bode well that it may NOT be MS?  (I hope so)

2.  My wife does not have any feeling of weakness, just tingling and some fatigue.  Is this another data point indicating that it may NOT be MS?

3.  What other situations can cause the slight deterioration of the "white matter"?

Thank you in advance for your advise,

Worried husband in Colorado Springs.

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Skip Chang:

Sorry to hear about your wife's symptoms.  I am not sure where the lesion you are indicating in the brain, "lumbor"?  White matter changes do not have to be related to MS.  Many other things including the ageing process can give us white matter changes.  There are particular areas of the brain that are affected by MS, such as the periventricular white matter, corpus callosum, temporal lobes, etc.  Post-traumatic head problems could give your wife these symptoms, but over the internet I can't tell.  There is no way to determine whether MS will be malignant or the usual relapsing remitting type.  Time will tell, I wish there was a way of diagnosing.  There some hints such as concentric types of demyelination etc. but obviously your wife does not have this.  

Be sure and take the brain films with you to the neurologist.  Depending on where the lesions are, there may be a correlation with the numbness and tingling.  

I would venture to say that it is unlikely that your wife has MS.  If her MRI looked worrisome for MS, your GP would have acted immediately and did a spinal tap with other lab work.  The fact that your wife lost consciousness for over 15 minutes suggest that she had a pretty bad concussion.  Most likely, this is post traumatic damage and should resolve.  But, go to the neurologist and make sure.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD