not sure what this is

[flana016]

Last Sept. 2007 I had a Chiari decompression. Last Nov. 2007 I had to have a second surgery due to the rupture of the artificial dura. Then in March 2008 I had to have a third surgery due to rupture again of the artificial dura tha was replaced with a bovine pericardium. Today i still have a lot of pain at the base of my skull, occassional pain that will go down my left arm, low grade temp, and lymph node have been swollen since the last surgery. My family Dr. ordered another MRI of my head. Now the back of my skull toward the base looks broken and caving inward toward the foramen magnum and spinal cord. Is this normal? Could this be the cause of all my pain now? I could really use you help please.
thank you,
lana

[flana016]

Thank you very much anyway.    Lana

[Esteban Cheng-Ching, MD]

I took a look at it, however the definition is not the best in the screen, and the way we look at MRIs is actually scrolling through pictures and changing positions to have kind of a 3d image in our minds. A good image to look at is a sagital one, that is one that looks at the brain by the side. I am sorry, I really cannot make much from the picture you posted, and cannot tell you much about it.

Thanks,

Esteban

[flana016]

If you have a few minutes to look at the MRIs on my profile you could actually see what I was talking about. The forum would not allow me to post the pictures. If not, I really thank you for you taking the time with me.
Thanks,
Lana

[Esteban Cheng-Ching, MD]

Thanks for using the forum. My comments and answers will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.

It is very difficult to interpret an image based on your description, and without being able to see the MRI I will not be able to comment on it. It is important that you understand that images after surgery should be compared to previous similar studies, in order to determine if there is any new change. An so the new MRI should be compared to your previous MRIs.

Persistent pain after Chiari surgery is not uncommon, however it should be evaluated by a neurologist or a neurosurgeon who knows you, to make sure that there is no new neurologic deficits. Fever and lymph node swelling are also concerning and should be evaluated by a physician, as it may be a sign of infection or inflammation.

Without the ability to review your medical history and examine you, and without the possibility to review your MRIs and compare them to previous images, I cannot tell you what is causing your symptoms.

I think you should discuss your symptoms and the MRIs with your physician in order to identify the cause of your problem.