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Posted 9/8/2006 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All,

My neuro ordered another MRI of brain, cervical and lumbar.  I had them done at a new place because where I normally go couldn't do all 3 at the same time.  I took them a copy of my last MRI's as well as my reports (another reason for everyone to get copies of everything!)

 

The only kept the reports because the radiologist that reads the mri's is in a different state! Here is what my brain said "There are focal areas of high signal noted on the flair sequence in the right and left periventricular space and adjacent to the occipital horn on the left compatible with MS plaques."  No mention of size or number.  Neither of my other ones ever stated that either.  I think the periventricular lesions are new.

 

My neck and lumbar mri's do not mention the lack of or any lesions. I hope he actually looked for them!

 

I will have the neuro-psych tests on the 25th.  I am really gonna try to start the imuran next week.

Posted 9/9/2006 12:41 AM (GMT 0)
Why did you want new MRI's? Did you have some concerns about the previous ones not being interpreted properly? How long was it since your previous ones?

(Please understand I'm not asking these questions to be critical...I really am interested in why you had these done..)

The "focal ares of high signal....right and left preventrucaler space" are indeed compatible with MS plaques. They don't often mention size or number. And often lesions will appear in either the brain or spinal cord, but not both....so it may be that there were none there, but "only" in the brain.
Posted 9/9/2006 1:30 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Uppity, Don't worry I didn't take your question as critisism!   :-)  I didn't ask for new mri's, my neuro wanted them since I've been on the avonex for 6 months and also because of the cognitive issues.  My last brain MRI was earlier this year.

 

I have a stupid question for you...are the periventricular areas in the white matter?  I'm wondering because my last reports only said lesions in white matter, no specific areas mentioned.  i forgot it also metioned left frontal lobe.

 

What type of lesions show up with contrast?  Is it the active ones?  I'm so confused on how to interpret these mri's!  I know the old ones will show up without contrast but I don't have any mentioned that way.

 

Thanks!  MS should come with an instruction manual!

Posted 9/9/2006 10:13 AM (GMT 0)
I'm gonna have to do some searching -- somewhere on the web there are pics of MRI's of people who have MS, and some easy-to-understand explanations. I had the web site noted at one time..but can't seem to find it now.

Anyway..I really have very limited knowledge or experience with MRI's. But I think that the periventricular areas are in the "white matter". The lesions that show up "with contrast" are supposedly the more active, more recent ones. I've never had an MRI "with contrast", so can't compare.

I don't try to interpret MRI's, anyway. I certainly don't have the medical background or training to begin to look at them and know what I'm seeing! I just have learned that each radiologist and each neuro seem to look at them a bit differently, describe what they're seeing a bit differently, and sometimes don't see the same things at all. Which is why when people switch doctors, the new doc will often ask for MRI's, even if the patient has recently had them done, because docs get used to working with specific labs and specific radiologists, and they'll know what the other means when they say things like "....periventricular areas in the white matter" :)
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