Hey djham---
Migraine often shows these kind of non-specific white matter changes. Sorry you've found yourself here! Be careful reading too much stuff on MS online...the mind can do lots of stuff to the body. An MS diagnosis is made after going thru about 100 differential diagnoses, and migraine and ischemic (low oxygen) changes are on the list. That's why your MRI says "non specific"...that's good news. MS lesions are often found in the corpus callosum area of the brain, or in the deep periventricular white matter, or look like Dawson's Fingers, and have an "ovoid" shape, (perpendicular to the long axis of the lateral ventricles.) Or be found on the cervical spine. I learned this because my husband's lesions were in the corpus callosum, and on the spine...indicative of MS. The fact yours are tiny foci is good news, too. The odds are it's probably not MS.
While you're waiting for more specific testing for MS, like another MRI with contrast dye, or a lumbar puncture---take care of yourself. Eat a lower fat diet, high in antioxidants with lots of fruits and veggies. Quit smoking, limit alcohol. Look into a vitamin D supplement, cut out sweets, try to reduce stress, get good sleep, and make sure to exercise. All of these measures will help your general health, and are shown to help oxidative stress--something in MS and all neurodegenerative brain issues. And these measures would help if you have small vessel disease of the brain and cardiovascular issues---much more likely to be your situation.
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A lot of work has been done to determine the significance of white matter lesions. The thinking now is that they represent ischemia (lack of blood flow) in the small blood vessels of the brain. Hence they are also at times referred to as ischemic small vessel disease. Hence these lesions are more commonly seen in the MRI of patients who have cerebrovascular risk factors like hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol as well those that smoke. Their incidence increases as we age (meaning you are more likely to see them on the MRI of someone who is 60 and above rather than someone who is in his 20′s).
http://braindiseases.wordpress.com/2008 ... e-answers/Here's more info on MRIS for you---
When MRIs are ordered, 50% of people show white matter lesions, and these are almost always vascular in nature.
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Consequently, it is not wise to put MS in the differential diagnosis, if the clinician does not suspect the patient of having MS and on the MR incidental WMLs are found.
The odds are against the diagnosis of MS, because vascular WMLs are 50-500 times more likely than MS plaques.
On the other hand if a patient is clinically suspected of having MS and multiple WMLs are found, our major concern is the differential diagnosis MS versus vascular disease and we have to follow the McDonald criteria.
http://www.radiologyassistant.nl/en/4556dea65db62Hope this info helps. Be well,
cheer
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Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS